Thousands of cans of fake infant formula have entered the Chinese market, as authorities try to track down where the counterfeit products have ended up.

The fake cans are labelled as products from Similac, which is owned by American firm Abbott Laboratories, and Beingmate, one of the largest infant formula makers in China.

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The police are on the hunt for the cans, as well as a suspect associated with a ring of fraudsters which had been discovered making the product and selling it to seven provinces in the country. Nine in the ring, including its alleged ringleader, surnamed Chen, have been arrested so far, according to Shanghai Daily.

The case came to light after a number of raids carried out in Dec. last year and Jan. this year, prompted by a tip sent to the Shanghai police. During the raids, 1,000 cans of fake Similac were seized, along with 20,000 empty cans and 65,000 fake Similac trademarks ready for labelling.

3,300 cans are still unaccounted for.

According to investigations, the ring started back in Aug. 2014, mixing genuine Similac with cheaper formula to give it bulk, before reselling the fake cans. The ring made about 1.6 million yuan ($248,117) from selling batches to vendors in Henan and Anhui.

Later, in mid-2015, they made another 1.9 million yuan ($294,639) from sales to Anhui, Henan, Jiangsu and Hubei.

After the news broke, three vendors in Anhui, Jiangsu and Hubei destroyed 3,300 cans, and Shanghai authorities confiscated another 5,000 cans. However, 3,300 cans are still unaccounted for, and an estimated 3,600 fake cans have already been sold.

Authorities are also looking online for sales of the fake cans. Image: Jia qing/Imaginechina

The food safety authorities said the fake formula tested safe for consumption, but the bust has rattled China's already fragile trust in domestic infant milk formula. In 2008, a high-profile scandal involved tainted formula that killed six infants.

The formula had been mixed with a substance containing melamine, which is used to raise the levels of protein registered in food testing. Melamine is a chemical often used in making plastics and dishware, and can result in kidney failure after consumption.

Following the events in 2008, Chinese consumers have been routinely flocking to other countries and paying a hefty premium for milk formula because they don't trust the milk formula sold at home. In 2013, Chinese buyers were clearing out shelves in neighbouring Hong Kong to such an extent that the Hong Kong government set a cap of 1.8kg per person for mainland consumers.

This only led to stores in Europe noticing an influx of Chinese purchasers, and several supermarket chains in the region have since had to limit customers to two tins per purchase.

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