Brazil uncovers syndicate that import illegally adulterated fish

BRASÍLIA: Police said on Tuesday they have uncovered a ring that imported Chinese fish illegally adulterated to be heavier and as such, worth more when resold.

Investigators from the agriculture ministry in the southern state of Santa Catarina found local businesses selling adulterated pollock, hake and other imported species, said police in a statement.

The fish had been injected with “water and chemical products, which among other effects raised the price of the products”, said police. The fish were then routed by corrupt agricultural inspectors to avoid the usual controls, said the statement.

The adulteration took place in China, said federal police representative Mauricio Todeschini in the city of Itajai, adding that the scheme ran from 2015 to this year.

In March, Brazil’s huge meat export industry was hit by revelations that 21 Brazilian processing firms had been using chemicals to make old meat look fresh. AFP