SOUTH Africa has been shipping blood contaminated with the HIV virus and hepatitis via Britain to India, China and possibly other countries, according to a World Health Organisation (WHO) investigation. A British newspaper reported that thousands of people could face contamination through a multi-million dollar racket, where blood from South Africa was often labelled as animal plasma to get through strict health controls. Companies in several countries then relabelled the blood as fit for medical use. The investigation was initiated after Aids expert Dr Alan Smith alerted the South African Department of Health to “highly unethical” blood trafficking which he uncovered while working in the virology department of the Natal University. British police are investigating at least two British companies.