The recent confiscation of melamine tainted milk powder in Fujian Province has led to the apprehension of several key figures in the distribution process.

Zhang Wenxue is the general manager of the Le Kang dairy company based in Weinan City in Shaanxi Province. In September, 2009, he bought 10 tons of milk powder from an individual, without a melamine-free certificate required for such purchases.

Zhang said, "The guy said he had lost the certificate, but the milk is okay."

By the time Zhang Wenxue bought the milk powder, it was out of date. But Zhang instructed his workers to add it to the milk powder produced by the company. After the mix, the 10 tons of toxic milk powder became 32.5 tons of dairy product and started being distributed to other provinces.

To avoid detection, no record was kept of the sales of the powder. This created many difficulties for investigators to determine the amount of tainted powder and where it was being sold.

However, after combing through markets in different provinces, investigators managed to seize all of the tainted powder in the case and destroyed it.