BEIJING, Dec 5 (Reuters) - China has impounded more than 3,000 kg of beef found in the luggage of passengers arriving in Shanghai from Japan in recent months, the government said on Wednesday.

China has banned beef imports from Japan -- known for its expensive but lean and tender beef -- since an outbreak of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), popularly known as mad-cow disease, in September 2001.

The General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine warned of increasing cases of Japanese beef illegally brought into the country as food prices have soared in the past few months.

More than 33 cases of passengers smuggling more than 30 kg (66 lb) each of Japanese beef were discovered between June 2 and Nov. 21, the watchdog said on its Web site (http://www.aqsiq.gov.cn).

It blamed the recent jump in meat prices across China, combined with scarce supplies, for inspiring the smuggling activity into Shanghai, home to a large community of Japanese businessmen. ($1=7.392 Yuan) (Reporting by Beijing newsroom; editing by Lucy Hornby and Alex Richardson)

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