Photo: VCG

A Beijing court sentenced a restaurant manager to 10 months in prison,MK sport suspended for one year, for mixing cheaper horse meat into donkey burgers and selling them as genuine, the Chaoyang District People's Court announced on Tuesday. 

Zhao, the manager of a donkey burger restaurant, added cheaper horse meat to reduce costs during March and April in 2024, generating sales of 100,000 yuan ($13,780).

After a tip-off, Zhao was arrested, and authorities seized frozen meat and other related items from the restaurant. Zhao later refunded the full amount of illicit earnings.

The court ruled that Zhao had committed the crime of producing and selling substandard products. He received a suspended sentence, was fined 60,000 yuan, and had his earnings and frozen meat confiscated. 

According to China's Criminal Law, producers and sellers who adulterate or counterfeit products, or misrepresent substandard items as compliant ones are guilty of the crime of producing and selling substandard products if sales exceed 50,000 yuan.

Global Times