Suspected baby formula smugglers arrested in traffic stop

The police arrested a 54 year old man and a 41 year old woman from Roosendaal with a car containing 250 cans of baby formula powder at the Westerschelde tunnel toll plaza in Borsesele on Saturday night.

Officers first noticed the heavily loaded car driving through the Westerschelde tunnel towards Zuid-Beveland around 8:00 p.m. on Saturday. The car was pulled over at the toll plaza and officers found the 250 cans of baby formula. The man and woman in the car claimed that they bought the formula, but could not show receipts.

When the police checked the man's identity, the found that he was also the suspect in a number of previous baby formula thefts. The two were arrested and taken to Torentijd police cells in Middelburg, where they were questioned. They are still in custody.

The car was impounded and towed away for further investigation and the baby formula was confiscated.

Dutch baby formula is in high demand since the melamine scandal in China in 2008. Chinese consumers are willing to pay large amounts for baby formula with a good reputation.