The Public Security Bureau of Guangdong announced at a July 30 news conference that they have seized over 25 tons of yogurt tablet candy containing melamine, reports QQ. The seizure was made at the Chaozhou Extensive Food Product Company, which is suspected of manufacturing and selling unsafe food items.

Police confiscated 12 tons of completed yogurt tablet candy, and 13.5 tons of candy that wasn’t yet ready for sale. All are suspected of containing melamine. The seizure may affect markets in 12 provinces throughout China.

The news conference held by the PSB was to highlight the authorities’ progress with a crackdown on fake food and drug products in China. It was the first time the crackdown on melamine-laced yogurt candy came to light, even though the seizure happened on February 11 of this year.

Recalls involving melamine are not rare. In the first half of 2014, the USA has made 339 unsafe claims against Chinese food exports in which over 13% are related to melamine or melamine-tainted foods.

Melamine first rose to prominence as a major Chinese food safety concern in 2008 when six infants died as a result of consuming melamine-tainted milk products. Melamine also came into the public spotlight in 2011 when 26 tons of milk powder contaminated with melamine was seized.

As part of the announcement, the Guangdong PSB stated that up until June 30, Guangdong police have cracked a total of 1,222 fake food cases, detained 1,823 suspects, and arrested 938 people.

Other raids resulting in confiscated unsafe foods include a bust on a fake alcohol production site in Dongguan. Two people have been arrested for producing five fake foreign brands that include Hennessy Paradis and Martell Cordon, with a total of 1,079 bottles confiscated.

Photos: QQ, iFeng