Shenzhen Customs said on June 12 it caught a ship trying smuggling frozen goods into the country to avoid duties.

The bust involved more than 1,800 metric tons of frozen goods worth 60 million yuan ($9.4 million).

Five of the 18 crew members were put in detention.

It is the biggest frozen goods smuggling case Shenzhen Customs busted since its establishment in 1997.

According to Customs, the frozen goods were beef, chicken wings and pork tripe from the United States, Brazil, Australia and New Zealand in 60 containers.

Customs officers warned that the smuggled goods can be very harmful as they had not been inspected and quarantined, and transportation conditions were poor, posing a potential food safety concern.