Fake meat ring busted

EDIT CONTAINS 4:3 MATERIAL

Police in eastern China have broken up a crime ring involving more than 20,000 tonnes of meat- passed off as mutton, but containing everything from fox, to minx to rat.

One man charged in the case told local media he obtained the fox meat from a farm that had raised the animals for fur.

The farmer sold it to the suspect who then processed it as mutton. It's mutton-like flavor and low cost were part of the draw, he said.

Other suspects said rat meat had been used to produce the fake mutton.

Police said more than 900 people were arrested during the three month campaign, and nearly 400 cases involving meat-related offenses are being investigated.

The fake mutton products garnered about 1.6 million dollars in profit.