Police crack down across nation on rising ‘vicious power’ wielded by criminal gangs

Chinese authorities have busted 514 gang-related organizations and 2,993 gangster groups, and pursued 34,000 criminal cases in the first seven months of 2018.

Authorities have taken different measures to fight against criminal gangs. Some provinces also rewarded people who provide clues to help crack down on gang-related crime, the People’s Daily reported Tuesday.

The Communist Party of China’s Central Committee and the State Council issued a document in January that marked the beginning of a 3-year operation to focus on combat against gangs.

The Supreme People’s Court, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Justice have jointly released a document against gangs and will continuously cooperate during the operation, said the report.

Public security departments are cracking down on the “vicious power” in emerging types of gang-related crimes, such as illegal logistics and loans.

Authorities in different provinces have launched public campaigns highlighting the operations against vicious power and rewarded citizens that help bust crimes.

Three people wearing masks received a reward of 500,000 yuan ($73,000) on July 5 in South China’s Guangdong Province. Five people who exposed a serious crime involving vicious power in East China’s Shandong Province were rewarded 100,000 yuan on August 22.

Public security departments in Northeast China’s Liaoning Province, Southwest China’s Guizhou Province and some other provinces have introduced a series of incentives to encourage citizens to expose crimes. Informers’ personal information and the clues they provided are strictly confidential to guarantee their safety, the People’s Daily said.