Police in Zhejiang province are investigating a serious case of water and soil pollution, zjol.com.cn reported.

The case, believed to be one of the biggest of its type nationwide, involves 48 suspects.

They are accused of profiting by offering assistance to Jinfanda, a chemical industrial enterprise, to dispose of industrial waste without going through the proper procedures. Chemical waste was allegedly poured into rivers, left in fields and by the roadside.

The pollution trail originates in Longyou county, which connects the eastern and central parts of Zhejiang and other provinces including Jiangxi, Anhui and Fujian. The water in Longyou also goes into the Qiantang River, the major water supply for Hangzhou, capital of Zhejiang province. There have been repeated reports of Hangzhou residents complaining since May of a strange odor from the tap water.

The police also found other chemical plants carrying out illegal waste discharges. Estimates suggest 38,000 metric tons of liquid waste had been discharged.

The case is now with the procuratorate.