This Day, That Year

Editor’s Note: This year marks the 40th anniversary of China’s reform and opening-up policy.

On Jan 5, 1999, the AntiSmuggling Investigation Bureau was established under the General Administration of Customs. The new force was intended to fight tariff-related smuggling crime.

In the past 19 years, anti- smuggling officers have played an important role in curbing smuggling.

Last year, customs authorities in 13 provinces and regions launched a crackdown which saw 127 suspects detained for smuggling solid waste into the country, according to the General Administration of Customs. More than 323,000 metric tons of “foreign garbage”, including plastic scraps and waste mineral residue, were seized.

The importation and processing of the material can cause severe pollution.

In September, the bureau won the Asia Environmental Enforcement Award for its efforts in tackling the fastgrowing illegal trade in chemicals and harmful waste in the Asia-Pacific region.

In the past 10 years, they seized nearly 10,000 metric tons of hazardous waste and chemicals in more than 700 environmental crimes.

China has been strengthening cooperation in crossborder anti-smuggling. In November, China and Vietnam begun a five-month campaign against the smuggling of drugs, firearms, fake notes, endangered animals and plants.