BEIJING - Chinese authorities on Friday published eight cases of fraud and false advertising in the food and healthcare product industry.

These cases involved illegally adding medicine in food making and fraudulently selling toxical healthcare products online in different parts of the country.

In July 2017, nine government departments, including the Food Safety Office of the State Council, launched a campaign to stem illegal and unethical practices across the country's food and health food sectors.

Over the past 18 months, the campaign has brought to light 58,000 cases of fraud and false advertising, amounting to 3.32 billion yuan (about $494.41 million).

A total of 490 million yuan has been issued in fines or confiscated.

China has stepped up efforts to crack down on violations in the healthcare product industry in recent months, after a series of scandals.

Earlier in January, police arrested the founder of Quanjian Nature Medicine Technology Co., amid allegations of fraudulent practice following the death of a seven-year-old girl who had used the company's products as part of her cancer treatment.