Chinese police crack down on food-related crimes during holidays

BEIJING - Chinese police will launch a national crackdown on food-related crimes to ensure food safety during the upcoming New Year and Spring Festival holidays.

The campaign, running through the end of February, mainly targets prominent problems concerning best-selling food items, according to a circular issued by the Ministry of Public Security.

Police will focus on crimes related to illegal food additives in meat and aquatic products and the collecting and selling of "gutter oil," cooking oil recycled from kitchen waste, the circular reads.

Police are also urged to intensify their crackdown on the crimes of producing and selling fake and shoddy condiments, tobacco, alcohol, beverages and local food, and crimes concerning illegal health food-related additives, fraud and misleading advertising, the circular says.