Immigration authorities tighten boarder inspections

Immigration authorities investigated 4,794 cases related to illegal entry, residence, and employment discrepancies, and 9,098 cases involving the obstruction of border management during the past three months, effectively safeguarding border security and stability, said the National Immigration Administration on Friday.

Chi Jingyang, deputy director of NIA's Department of Border Inspection and Administration, said the officers tightened the inspection in the key areas where illegal entry, residence, and employment problems are prominent during the period. 

The officers detected and investigated 19,983 people engaged in illegal entry, residence, and employment discrepancies during the past three months, with the ability to investigate and handle such cases improved and such crimes had been effectively curbed, said Chi.

The authorities also tightened the inspection in key spots around the border area, and destroyed 95 hiding places for illegal exit-entry personnel, seized over 1,700 firearms and 43,000 rounds of bullets, removing a number of potential border security risks, and effectively squeezing the space for cross-border illegal activities, he said. 

The authorities paid close attention to activities such as people smuggling, gun trafficking, and drug trafficking. The officers detained about 17,100 people over obstructing the border management including 104 fugitives, Chi said. 

They also seized about 2.1 metric tons of drugs, 137.8 tons of substances for producing drugs, and smuggled goods worth more than 51 million yuan ($7.16 million), according to statistics.