Ningbo Customs announced on July 12 that it investigated a total of 592 smuggling cases in the first half of this year. 

Among the busts over the six-month period, 94 were criminal cases involving 1.637 billion yuan ($237.2 million) and 498 were administrative violation cases involving 1.762 billion yuan.

In the January-June period, customs authorities seized 98,000 metric tons of solid waste, including waste slags and hardware.

The Chinese government decided last year to completely halt imports of foreign waste by the end of 2019, except for those containing invaluable resources.

Local customs authorities have also taken a tough stance on the trafficking of endangered species and related products, with 12 ivory products, including bracelets and painted scrolls, weighing 242 grams in total, being seized in the first half of the year.

From January to June, local law enforcement agencies busted six major oil smuggling gangs and seized 160,000 tons of smuggled refined oil. Efforts have also been made to crack down on the smuggling of products such as cigarettes, cars, and daily necessities.

A total of 2,129 tons of frozen products such as pig feet and chicken wings, 4,077 tons of white sugar, and 2,000 tons of corn wine dregs were seized as well. 

In addition, from January to June, a rare earth smuggling case involving 41.47 million yuan was uncovered.

In collaboration with relevant law enforcement departments, Ningbo Customs also uncovered 131 cases related to export tax rebates, involving a total of 2.143 billion yuan.