China arrests 12 more suspects in tainted milk scandal
18/9/2008 17:50
Police arrested 12 more people in an early morning Hebei Province sweep
today amid an intensifying crackdown involving tainted milk powder that has
killed three infants and sickened 6,244 others.
Shi Guizhong, spokesman for
the Hebei Provincial Security Department, said 18 suspects have been formally
arrested so far. Ten others were detained.
All 18 suspects were said to be
residents of greater Shijiazhuang, the capital of Hebei. Six allegedly sold the
industrial chemical melamine, while the remaining 12 were dealers suspected of
selling contaminated milk.
Police also seized some 300 kg of suspicious
chemicals, of which 222.5 kg proved to be melamine.
One suspect surnamed Su,
who was arrested on Tuesday, confessed during police interrogation that he
bought 200 bags of melamine, each weighing 20 kg, between February 2007 and July
2008 at a cost of 200 yuan (about US$28.6) and resold the chemical to milk
dealerships at 218 yuan.
The police is hunting for milk dealer Xue Jianzhong,
who allegedly added melamine to his milk. Xue was put on the wanted list late
yesterday.
Hebei also launched a province-wide, 10-day key task action to
hunt down other violators involved in adulterating milk.
Sanlu Group Co, the
dairy company based in Shijiazhuang, remains at the heart of the scandal. Its
chairwoman and general manager, Tian Wenhua, who was fired, was detained by the
police.
Xinhua
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