Brooklyn food smugglers busted in bizarre duck intestine drama

In an unprecedented crackdown, the Eastern District of New York has witnessed the unfolding of a complex conspiracy involving the smuggling of illegal meat and poultry products from China. 

Leading the charge, Luigi Stolfa, a seasoned Special Agent with the USDA’s Office of Inspector General, exposed the illicit operations of Ming Huang Chen and his accomplices, who orchestrated a sophisticated network to import, distribute, and sell prohibited food items, including raw duck and goose intestines.

The case began in August 2022 when the group deceitfully imported goods, masked as innocuous items like “pet grooming tools,” into the U.S. The arrival of multiple shipments under the guise of “frozen seafood” at JFK Airport, eventually revealed an inventory of illegal poultry products destined for New York’s dining scene.

Chen, alongside Hangming Fang, Runhua Hou, and their co-defendants, maneuvered through a labyrinth of logistics, from coordinating with overseas partners to navigating the streets of Brooklyn, all to feed an underground market hungry for forbidden meats. 

Investigations included stakeouts at JFK and surprise raids on Brooklyn freezers, leading to the seizure of thousands of pounds of illicit meat valued at a staggering $147,300, prosecutors said.