China forced to deny it is 'marinating dead bodies, putting them in cans and selling them in African supermarkets' after Facebook hoax goes viral Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3599649/China-forced-deny-marinating-dead-bodies-putting-cans-selling-African-supermarkets-Facebook-hoax-goes-viral.html#ixzz49AwgGNXd Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT Photographs circulated on social media claimed to human body in factory Led to claims China was selling dead b...

WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
Photographs circulated on social media claimed to human body in factory
Led to claims China was selling dead bodies as a meat product in Africa
China demanded an investigation into the rumours as well as an apology
Hoax image revealed to be from a 2012 publicity stunt for Resident Evil 6

By IMOGEN CALDERWOOD FOR MAILONLINE

PUBLISHED: 19:59 GMT, 19 May 2016 | UPDATED: 00:36 GMT, 20 May 2016

Revelation: While the images shared on social media had many fooled, a hoax-busting website showed that at least one of them was taken as a publicity stunt for video game Resident Evil 6. Pictured, a publicity shot from the Resident Evil campaign - which is suspiciously similar to the 'Chinese' photos shared on Facebook

Bizarre: The image, which appears to show a dead human body in an abattoir, was actually taken during a publicity stunt in London's Smithfield Market

Probe: China's ambassador to Zambia called for an investigation into the allegations, which led to an apology from the Zambian Deputy Defence Minister Christopher Mulenga

Stunt: A fake shop, called Wesker & Son Resident Evil Human Butchery (pictured), sprang up at the market selling meat products shaped to resemble human body parts

Creative: The Smithfield butchers made what appeared to be human body parts out of animal products, such as pork, as a publicity campaign for the video game in 2012

‘The government of Zambia regrets the incident in view of the warm relations that exist between Zambia and China,’ he said, as reported by China’s Xinhua News Agency.

‘We shall make sure that relevant government authorities will take up the investigations and give a comprehensive statement.’

The countries have strong business ties, but China’s growing influence in Zambia has created tension with locals who accuse China of paying low wages and allowing dangerous working conditions.