Street vendor found mixing sugarcane juice with 'dirty water'

An unlicensed street vendor in Shenzhen was found mixing "fresh sugarcane juice" with dirty water, local law enforcement officials have announced.

Officials discovered the vendor when they were patrolling near Shenzhen Baoan Maternal and Child Health Hospital recently, according to Xinhua news agency.

After they dismantled her equipment, they found a wooden board beside the juicing machine on her three-wheeler.

Under the board they discovered a concealed compartment in which there was a foam box filled with unknown liquid. The liquid, which officials said probably had fake sugar mixed in, was cloudy and yellow and let off an unpleasant odor. Dead worms could be seen in the liquid.

A plastic hose linked the unknown liquid with the juicing machine, through which the liquid could be mixed with freshly squeezed sugarcane juice.

In that way, the sugarcane normally needed for one cup of juice could be used to make five cups.

Law enforcement officials advised citizens not to eat food and drink from unlicensed vendors.