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Chicago, IL - Federal prosecutors in Chicago say 11 people and six corporations are accused of conspiring to smuggle $40 million worth of Chinese honey into the United States.

An indictment accuses them of smuggling honey contaminated with antibiotics that aren’t approved for use in the United States.

Federal officials on Wednesday said the illegal imports between 2002 and 2009 were part of efforts to avoid steep tariffs and customs duties on honey imported from China. Officials say those accused altered documents and labels to make it look like the honey was coming from Russia, the Philippines and other countries.

Authorities say the smuggled honey isn’t believed to have made anyone sick.

Most of the individuals and companies charged are affiliated with the firm Alfred L. Wolff GmbH, a German company with an importing business based in Illinois, prosecutors said

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