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Men face cruelty charges in bull dragging
Thursday, July 9
The Chinese government, which banned Japanese beef in 2001, asked the Japanese government in December for enforcement help, Kyodo News Service reports.
Most of the would-be smugglers have been carrying luxury beef like Kobe. Some have had almost 50 pounds of meat concealed in their luggage, and in a few cases Japanese officials have caught people with far more beef.
The Chinese ban has been in force since mad-cow disease was detected in a Japanese animal. But wealthy Chinese restaurant-goers are willing to pay high prices for Kobe beef.