A total of 147,000 underground facilities, which manufacture and trade inferior food and drugs, have been smashed since August 2011.

At a publicity event showing the results of the crackdown, the ministry said 18 cases related to the chromium-tainted drug capsule scandal, exposed by the media in April. The police seized 228 people who were involved in these cases and confiscated 500 million capsules that were suspected to be made from industrial gelatin. This substance contains excessive levels of chromium.

The police also investigated cases centering on "gutter oil" or reprocessed cooking oil. Police shut down manufacturers of this illegal oil, cutting out channels for the cooking liquid to enter the market.

The results were achieved with the help of the public, according to the ministry, and local authorities rewarded 12,000 informants more than 28 million yuan (4.4 million U.S. dollars) for providing useful information.

The perils lurking in the food and drugs markets have been effectively reduced, the ministry said, adding that it will continue in its crackdown.