Taiwanese customs, investigators and police seized more than two tonnes of smuggled Chinese food and untaxed cigarettes and liquor from an old building in Kinmen — bad news for the smuggling networks running goods across the strait.

• A joint raid on a run-down building in Jincheng Township turned up over 2,700 kg of Chinese food, plus dried mushrooms, peanuts, cigarettes and bottles of liquor.
• Boxes and packing tools found on site suggest the haul was about to be repackaged and shipped on to buyers.
• Everything was confiscated under smuggling, food safety and tobacco-and-alcohol laws.
• Officials warn uninspected farm goods can carry foreign pests and heavy metals or pesticide residue, while untested Chinese food may contain banned preservatives, dyes or sweeteners.
• Smuggled cigarettes and liquor also dodge taxes and health levies, and are often fake or mouldy.

Outlook: Border checks and cross-agency raids in Kinmen are set to continue, with buyers urged to avoid goods with unclear labels or origins.