Russia seizes banned EU meat disguised as chewing gum

Russian customs officers are struggling to digest a new smuggling scam after some 600 tonnes of banned meat from Europe were discovered disguised as other items such as chewing gum.

Officials in northwestern Russia made the finds in refrigerated containers shipped from Antwerp, Hamburg and Rotterdam, the country's agricultural safety agency said Friday.

"While searching 26 refrigerated containers whose accompanying documents said they contained frozen mushrooms, juice, fruit jellies and chewing gum, they discovered meat and fatback pork produced in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and Poland," the agency said in a statement.

Russia this summer imposed sweeping bans on food products from the European Union in retaliation for tough sanctions imposed on Moscow over its meddling in Ukraine.