China Again Accused of Profit-Driven Enforcement as Refrigerated Trucks Mysteriously Diverted and Fined

(Central News Agency reporter Zhang Shuling, Beijing, 16th) Last year in China, 21 refrigerated trucks carrying frozen food were mysteriously diverted to Biyang County, Henan Province, where they were fined and seized. Yesterday, Biyang County announced that three officials have been placed under detention in connection with the case. Amid local fiscal pressures and official corruption, this is widely seen as another example of 'profit-driven law enforcement.'

According to media reports including Cover News, in the second half of last year, 21 refrigerated trucks from 10 provinces and cities across China—none of which had Biyang County as their destination—were seized at Biyang's highway exit. All were detained based on reports alleging the vehicles 'were suspected of transporting frozen by-products without inspection and quarantine.'

Some cargo owners, despite providing legal documentation, were unable to retrieve their goods. Many others could not obtain necessary proof due to delays by relevant departments. Ultimately, the seized goods were either 'rendered harmless' or auctioned off at low prices.

Even more suspiciously, multiple cargo owners reported that the freight rates for these trucks, arranged through logistics platforms, were about 30% lower than normal. One cargo owner said it felt like a premeditated diversion—akin to the rabbit in the fable 'Waiting by a Stump for a Hare'—with the frozen goods successively crashing into the 'tree' of Biyang, while enforcement officers sat and waited to seize them.

After media exposure, the incident drew widespread attention, particularly as some cargo owners suffered heavy losses. The whereabouts of the seized goods remain unclear, and the legality of the fines has been questioned.

On the 15th, the Biyang County Joint Investigation Team released a statement, confirming that following public attention, former Party Secretary and Director Wang Lei of the County Market Supervision Administration, and Captain Zhang Xing of the Administration's Comprehensive Administrative Enforcement Team, Third Squad, have been placed under detention and are under investigation. The team stated that further investigations will be conducted thoroughly and in accordance with laws and regulations, and that no individual or organization involved will be shielded.

Pengpai News commented that in recent years, profit-driven enforcement—characterized by arbitrary fees, fines, inspections, and seizures—as well as illegal cross-jurisdiction enforcement, has drawn increasing regulatory scrutiny. From March last year to March this year, over 66,000 such cases have been rectified nationwide, recovering RMB 30.7 billion (approximately NT$141.2 billion) in economic losses for businesses.

The article warned that if this 'collective deviation' incident was indeed a coordinated profit-seeking operation, its harm would extend far beyond the cargo owners' losses, undermining the region's legal and business environment.

Red Star News commented that this is not merely a case of individual corruption, but an outright challenge to a rule-of-law-based business environment. (Editor: Zhu Jianling) 1150616