Police and food safety inspectors have raided two business premises and two private homes in Zuid-Holland province in an investigation into illegal meat imports from China.

There has been an EU-wide ban on importing most types of meat from China for human consumption since 2002 because of concerns about drug residues.

Officials seized ‘hundreds of boxes’ of meat and meat products during their search, as well as documents and files. The meat is now being tested, the inspectors said in a statement on Wednesday.

The investigators are also trying to establish how the meat was brought into the country and what has happened to previous shipments.