Ningbo Customs announced on July 27 that it investigated a total of 521 smuggling cases in the first half of this year.

Among the cases over the six-month period, 102 were criminal cases involving 5.633 billion yuan ($866.61 million) and 419 were administrative violation cases involving 2.045 billion yuan.

From January to June, customs authorities seized 545 metric tons of solid waste like waste slags.

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

Local customs authorities have taken a tough stance on the trafficking of endangered species and related products, with a batch of ivory products like tableware, painted scrolls, and pangolin scales being seized over the six-month period.

They also investigated eight frozen seafood smuggling cases involving 424 million yuan and four cases related to food and fruit smuggling involving more than 11.8 million yuan.

Fourteen major oil smuggling gangs were busted as well, with near 1 million tons of smuggled refined oil being seized.

Efforts have also been made to crack down on individual smugglers. More than 5,000 products, including high-end watches, luxury bags, and clothes, with a combined value of nearly 16 million yuan, were seized 

Authorities have also strengthened the dynamic monitoring on guns, ammunition, as well as drugs and their raw materials.

Three drug smuggling cases were investigated over the period, with 150 pills of controlled psychotropic drugs like flunitrazepam and 900 ml of THC containing drugs being seized. 

In collaboration with relevant law enforcement departments, Ningbo Customs also uncovered 101 cases related to export tax rebates, involving a total of 1.258 billion yuan.