HANGZHOU, July 26 (Xinhua) -- Four suspects have been placed under criminal detention for allegedly smuggling 300 tonnes of used clothing, authorities in Yongjia County, east China's Zhejiang Province said Thursday.

The smuggled waste was shipped from Busan, the Republic of Korea, to Yongjia in April and May this year. The ship had no permit for the journey, local police said.

The garment waste was stained with dirt and vomit and contained bacteria. It could pose a significant health risk if sold on the market, police said.

Four suspects from the Chinese mainland and Taiwan were detained and are under investigation. The waste will be properly disposed of.

For some years, China has been the world's largest importer of solid waste as raw materials. Given growing public awareness of environmental protection, the Chinese government decided last year to phase out and completely halt imports of trash by the end of 2019, except for those containing resources that are not substitutable.

The General Administration of Customs said it has seized over 980,000 tonnes of illegal trash imports so far this year.