A Chinese police officer Photo: Xinhua

 
About 27,600 criminal suspects have been arrested during the 100-day campaign to crack down on illegal behaviors that threatened social security, the public security authority in North China's Hebei Province announced on Thursday, adding that 27,000 cases have been solved by public security organs across the province. 

China's Ministry of Public Security launched the 100-day campaign on June 25, following a brutal assault at a restaurant in Tangshan, Hebei on June 10 hit a raw nerve of the public. 

The public security authorities in Hebei attached great importance to the campaign, ensuring people's sense of happiness and security with strong practical actions, Public Security Department of Hebei Province stated in its WeChat release on Thursday.

In additional to the 27,600 criminal suspects, in terms of heavy punch against crime and gang groups, Hebei public security authorities said that a total of 838 criminal gangs were busted, 297 drug-related crimes were cracked with 3.67 kilograms of drugs being confiscated, and more than 876 million yuan ($127 million) fund involved being frozen.

During the campaign, the provincial criminal investigation departments busted 41 gang-related criminal organizations, solved 1,510 telecom and internet fraud cases, solved 22 cases of abducting and trafficking women and children, and recovered 17 missing and abducted women and children. 

Besides, Hebei public security authorities have elevated evening patrol to its maximum extend in order to guarantee a peaceful summer night for residents. Local police patrol departments in Hebei have dispatched multiple batches of police officers and organized 7,385 regional temporary inspection operations.

In an effort to eliminate safety risks in advance, public security authorities in Hebei have seized 361 guns and 120.5 kilograms of explosive materials in the past two months. 

In terms of traffic security, local authorities have investigated 182,000 cases of drunken driving, tired driving, overcrowding and illegal carrying of people. Since the 100-day campaign started, the number of road traffic accidents and deaths has decreased by 16.6 percent and 17.6 percent year on year respectively.

On August 5, the director of "100-day campaign" office under the China's Ministry of Public Security Qiu Baoli said in a press briefing that in the first half of this year, the national criminal cases decreased by 16.3 percent, but in the summer, some seasonal crimes reappeared, especially the case in Tangshan, which the ministry attaches great importance to.

The Ministry of Public Security requires all localities to "use a hard fist" to protect women, children, the elderly, the disabled, primary and middle school students and other groups, maintaining "zero tolerance" for crimes that infringe on their legitimate rights and interests, and resolutely eradicating criminal gangs, and severely punishing  the "umbrella" of criminal gangs.

A total of 28 people, including the main suspect Chen Jizhi in the Tangshan case, were prosecuted on Monday following an 80-day investigation. Meanwhile, procuratorate authorities said they also filed cases on 15 people holding public positions, eight of which were taken into custody for their suspected abuse of power, corruption and offering a "protection umbrella" for criminal gangs. 



Global Times