China's Internet users have amusingly nicknamed residents of Beijing's Chaoyang district (or acronym BJCYQZ in Chinese pinyin) as the "fifth largest intelligence agency" in the world after the Central Intelligence Agency in the US, the Committee of State Security (KGB) in the former Soviet Union, Mossad in Israel and Military Intelligence 6 (MI6) in the UK.
The largest among Beijing's eight districts in terms of both land area and number of residents, the eastern Chaoyang district was home to 3.84 million people by the end of 2013, according to the latest statistics.
Then how good is BJCYQZ at collecting intelligence? Who are they? What has turned them from common people into capable intelligence workers?
How good is BJCYQZ at collecting intelligence?
"A Chaoyang resident came to our drug control team this January, reporting the unusual behavior of one of his neighbors. The neighbor was reportedly behaving much like a drug user as he was sneaking around, staying at home in daytime and going out at night or sometimes staying up all night," said Li Jiangbo, the deputy-director of the drug control team of the district police station.
We followed the tip and discovered more than 30 grams of ice at the neighbor's house and also two of his suppliers, added Li.
In April, 12 foreign drug users were detained and a foreign drug dealing network was busted based on the intelligence provided by a resident in Chaoyang
Ahead of the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking this year in June, the police located two suspects and then confiscated one kilogram of ice after receiving anonymous tips from a Chaoyang resident claiming that someone was using a specific express delivery firm to deliver massive amount of drugs.
What's more, a number of high-profile Chinese celebrities were found using drugs by the police all based on tips provided by BJCYQZ or residents in Chaoyang, according to the official notices issued by the police. See more by clicking (Chinese celebrities caught with drugs)
Besides drug control, residents in Chaoyang have also tipped the police about celebrities buying sex resulting in the arrest of famous micro-blogger Charles Xue (whose nickname is Xuemanzi) and well-known Chinese actor Huang Haibo.
Clues provided by residents in Chaoyao have also proved valuable in helping police crack cases about illegal constructions, fire hazards and unlicensed taxis, so on so forth.
Who are they?
"I believe BJCYQZ refers to ordinary people who believe in justice, abide by the law and have the courage to fight against crime," said Li.
Sun Zongfen, 73, and people like her conduct regular patrols of their community, which features new comers because it's close to a hospital and a flea market frequented by foreigners.
"I came across a stranger entering our unit carrying something unusual, who failed to tell me which floor he lived, so I followed him upstairs and found out that he was a new tenant," said Sun, "If he shows more suspicious behavior, I will report it to the police."
"We have a hotline with the director of our local police station, the officers of which will arrive within 10 minutes after they receive our call," said Yu Xiaohui, a community patrol who has lived in her community for 32 years. "We know everyone in our apartment building."
No crimes have taken place in Yu's community in 12 years even though the community has only two police officers.
Apart from the permanent residents in communities, BJCYQZ also include security staff at companies and entities, college students and various volunteers who are able to cover the corners that are beyond the reach of community police officers, according to Han Chunxi, deputy-director of the population management division of the district police station.
BJCYQZ is not a newly emerging security force consisting of common people, and it now involves about 120,000 people, said Han.
Besides Chaoyang district, common people across all other districts of Beijing all also play a very important role in keeping the capital safe and stable.
Statistics show that Beijing police received more than 1,500 drug-related tips from common people, up 64.8 percent year-on-year, and 240 of them provided valuable information leading to the arrest of more than 260 suspects since the beginning of this year.
From March 2014 when Beijing police started awarding people providing valuable tips about terror-related crimes to May 2015, common people provided a total number of more than 800 tips, helping the police crack cases about illegal ownership and transport of guns and explosives as well as instigating violent terrorist activities.
While some Internet users complain about the nosy seniors in their communities, others believe that residents reporting to police suspicious behaviors of their neighbors to police doesn't mean the community is closed to outsiders, but only provide both residents and visitors a more reassuring place to live.
