As the winter season embraces China, the increasing demand for bird's nests skyrocketed, resulting in an increased incidence of smuggling.

Bird's nests is one of the country's gourmet foods and most expensive products. It has been traditionally served on Chinese tables for hundreds of years. Many people, especially elderly and pregnant women use it for its claimed medical benefits.

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The consistent high demand for bird's nest has also made it an apple of the eyes of most smugglers.

"Our nests are imported from Malaysia and cost 10 yuan (Rs 102) per gram," a shop tenant in the Shanghai Kaixuanmen Market said.

However, the vendor cannot show any evidence when asked for sanitary permits or certificates, including proof of the product's origin. 

Of the number of peddlers around the market, only one was able to show its health certification, while several have produced incompletely filled up documents like manufacturing date or location.

"The legal imports cost at least five times of the current price. It is hard for you to find them in this market," a shopkeeper who refused to be identified revealed.

But the illegal sales of this luxurious delicacy is not only prominent in physical stores but also across the Internet.

In 2011, importing these products was declared illegal after a batch from Malaysia was found to have high nitrite contents.

"Smuggling has even driven up the price of legal imports in the market," a Malaysian manufacturer revealed. He further claimed he can entrust smuggling of these goods to 'reliable people'.

Last September, more than 700 kilogrammes of edible bird's nests were caught by Chinese authorities in Guangdong Province. They reported it came from Indonesia and was worth more than 100 million yuan.

If retailers opt for the legal deals, they are to pay an additional 17 percent value-added tax plus the cost for transportation and storage. And for them to make more profit, they allegedly spray water or apply gelatine to make the nests heavier.

However, this practice permits microorganisms to produce nests high in protein that results to excess nitrite content, something health authorities would not allow.

But for consumers, price is still its top consideration over quality. One customer even said "I've bought bird nests without certificates for years and have had no health problems. The legal imports are too expensive." 

Tagsillegal products, health certificates, delicacy, bird's nest delicacy, benefits of bird's nest, bird's nest health benefits