The tins of baby formula stacked inside a travel agency. Picture: Lawrence Pinder
BABY formula is being exported to China from within a travel agency in Melbourne.
A&A Travel sublets part of its building in Glen Waverley to a freight company, but denies having any involvement.
A woman from the agency said she could not even confirm which company was exporting the much sought after good.
The Herald Sunreports boxes of formula were being exported from the travel agency, which is in proximity to a supermarket that is rationing tins for parents.
In November, the Department of Agriculture became aware the community was concerned about shortages of infant formula in Australian supermarkets and some stores put limits on the amount people could purchase to make sure they had an adequate amount of stock available.
China’s demand for Australian infant formula has skyrocketed since 2008, when melamine contamination killed six babies and made 300,000 ill.
Late last year news.com.au reported secret milk powder shops were being spotted and unofficial Chinese exporters were as busy as ever.
The so-called “grey market” exporters purchased the formula in bulk from supermarkets and used souvenir shops to store it and take orders from China, where parents would pay up to $100 for a tin.
News Corp revealed in 2013 Chinese students were also being recruited to buy tubs of infant formula to sell to the black market.
A Coles supermarket in Glen Waverley, right near A&A Travel is selling only two tins of baby formula per customer.Source:Supplied
The manager of the Glen Waverley travel agency told the Herald Sun customers would drop off boxes of baby formula at the office and it was then transported overseas.
“I don’t want it to seem like we have a relationship with this other shop ... (we are) totally different,” he told the newspaper.
There is no suggestion the travel agent or the freight company are engaged in illegal activity, the Herald Sun reports.
Exports of Australian-made infant formula to China that are over 10kg must be sourced from registered export establishments and exports must comply with China’s requirements.
Exporting small amounts of baby formula is legal.
Tins of baby formula is found inside A&A Travel in Glen Waverley. Picture: Lawrence PinderSource:News Corp Australia
The Department of Agriculture said failing to meet the conditions of export orders — including exporting a prescribed dairy product without an export permit and sourcing from an unregistered establishment — carried a penalty of up to a year in jail.
If the exporter provides false information to an authorised officer, the penalty is up to five years jail.
The Herald Sun reported the Department of Agriculture was investigating a number of allegations of noncompliant exports.
“The department’s investigations are ongoing. It would be inappropriate to comment further at this time,” a spokesman told the newspaper.
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