Police officers are present at a news conference in Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong province, on Aug 23, 2018. (Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn)
Security authorities in southern China’s Guangdong province have reiterated their zero tolerance policy for secret societies and violent gangs who threaten lives and property in rural areas.
The province will redouble its efforts to clamp down on organized crime and launch more targeted campaigns in the coming months, said Liang Ruiguo, political commissar of the Guangdong Department of Public Security’s Criminal Investigation Bureau.
People are awarded at the news conference in Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong province, on Aug 23, 2018. (Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn)
The focus will be on exposing and shutting down criminal networks, he told reporters at a news conference in Guangzhou, the provincial capital, on Thursday.
Police across Guangdong have busted several gangs active in the rural areas this year.
Tools used by gangsters are on display at a news conference in Guangzhou, Guangdong province on Aug 23, 2018. (Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn)
In March, Meizhou police seized 30 million yuan ($4.36 million) in cash and froze another 6 million yuan in 326 bank accounts connected to a criminal organization allegedly headed by a village Party secretary surnamed Liang.
The suspect Liang also headed Shangping village and was a deputy to the local people’s congress. He was detained on suspicion of racketeering, illegal trading and threatening social stability, according to the authorities.
Tools used by gangsters are on display at a news conference in Guangzhou, Guangdong province on Aug 23, 2018. (Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn)
Shantou police also seized more than 6 million yuan in assets connected to a criminal gang allegedly led by a village cadre surnamed Yao on March 22.
Yao and his gang are accused of using violence to force trade, influencing grassroots elections and illegally owning weapons.
On Thursday, Liang Ruiguo urged residents in rural areas to report any crime involving a secret society or violent gang.
Tools used by gangsters are on display at a news conference in Guangzhou, Guangdong province on Aug 23, 2018. （Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn）
Authorities are offering rewards of up to 50,000 yuan for information that leads to the capture of a key gang leader.
