At least 150 tons of unqualified pork from Maoming has been consumed in Shenzhen since April 2012, Yangcheng Evening News reports.

Shenzhen Public Security Bureau announced August 29 that it had busted a gang that had been transporting pig carcasses from Maoming’s Dianbai Village and Maogang Village. Most of the pigs had died of diseases and sold illegally to slaughterhouses. By the time it reached the consumer the pork had been pumped full of twelve times the legal amount of veterinary drugs such as oxytetracycline.

Consumption of the unqualified pork is particularly dangerous to the liver.

The joint police operation to bust the ring of unlicensed pork dealers began on July 22 when suspicions were raised about pork sold in Haijixing Farmer’s Market in Longgang District.

All those suspected of involvement in the operation have been arrested and a subsequent investigation has shown that at least 150 tons of the illegal pork has already been consumed in Shenzhen.

There are 2000 pig farms in Dianbai Village and Maogang Village alone so that may turn out to be a conservative estimate.