Hong Kong Customs and Police announced Thursday that a smuggling syndicate have been cracked with a record seizure of 60,000 kg of unmanifested frozen meat worth 18 million HK dollars (about 2.3 million US dollars).

In an anti-smuggling operation conducted with the Hong Kong Government Flying Service, local customs and police officers intercepted two cargo vessels heading towards Mainland waters Thursday afternoon and seized the goods on board which were not covered by export manifests.

The frozen meat from 10 containers was imported from South America and had been repacked in a container yard at the New Territories of Hong Kong.

(Xinhua News Agency February 5, 2009)