By Li Hongmei

Customs officials in Hong Kong arrested 45 people on Friday and Saturday on charges of trying to smuggle baby milk powder into the Chinese mainland, Chinanews.com reported. The arrests came after an emergency two-can limit on exports of milk formula, launched in February, was made permanent Hong Kong law on Friday.

Lai Tung-Kwok, Hong Kong's secretary for security, was quoted as saying that customs agents had arrested 26 Hong Kong residents, 18 mainlanders and one foreign passport holder at border crossings. Lai added that authorities had seized a total of 115 cans of milk powder, with a street value of about US $4,500.

Some of the alleged smugglers were arrested while trying to carry over milk powder via car at special vehicle-only checkpoints, a tactic seldom used before the limit was in place, officials said.

"On top of random checks on passengers at border checkpoints, customs officers will also be looking closely at vehicles," Lai said.

Regulations give greater freedom to Hong Kong residents driving to the mainland than vice versa, which may account for the greater proportion of Hong Kong citizens arrested for smuggling in recent days.

The new Hong Kong law stipulates a penalty of up to US $64,500 and two years in prison for anyone convicted of breaking the milk powder export limit.