China on High Alert of Cloven-Footed Animals from MongoliaCustoms administrations at all levels in North China's Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region have stepped up enforcement of the import ban of cloven-footed animals from the neighboring Mongolia to ensure there is no risk of transmitting foot-and-mouth disease (FMD).Since May last year, several cases of FMD have been found within Mongolia. The State Administration for Entry-Exit Inspection and Quarantine of China immediately issued a ban on the import of cloven-footed animals and products from these animals from Mongolia. However, illegal dealers were found smuggling the banned goods across the border for high profits. Since last June, customs in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region have investigated into more than 20 of these smuggling cases involving goods worth 5 million yuan (US$580,000). As many as 450,000 sheets of sheepskin, 20 tons of cashmere and 14 tons of wool carrying epidemic diseases were confiscated. The autonomous region is the largest animal husbandry base of China, with a total of 40 million heads of livestock. |
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