The city government of Huzhou, Zhejiang province, confirmed on Sunday that investigators have dug out the remains of hundreds, and possibly thousands, of rotting carcasses of diseased pigs from three burial sites.

The public security bureau of Huzhou detained five people suspected of the illegal burial of the sick pigs in 2013, and will continue to investigate, according to a statement posted on the city's micro blog account.

The city was told on Aug 30 by environmental inspectors from the central government that some dead pigs had been illegally buried in Santianmen village. The inspectors had been evaluating Zhejiang province since Aug 11 and received reports about the pigs from members of the public.