Corrupt police officers racked up fortune

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By Wang Huazhong and Ma Wei (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-09-29 08:15

Two former police chiefs have been formally arrested in Chongqing for protecting gangs, while a low-profile exhibition in the city is showing valuable cars, jewels, antiques, drugs and ammunitions seized from gangs and such officials.

Wen Qiang, 53, former director of the city's judicial administrative bureau and deputy head of the public security bureau, and his accomplice, Peng Changjian, former deputy chief of the public security bureau, were arrested over the weekend for allegedly serving as a "protective umbrella" for local gangs, judicial authorities announced yesterday.

A preliminary investigation shows Wen and Peng have concealed the proceeds of crimes, put official jobs for sale and accepted bribes. Judicial authorities have seized more than 100 million yuan ($14.6 million) of assets during the investigation, and are still tracing some illegal gains that have been transferred overseas.

In addition, Wen was suspected to have retained concubines, used prostitutes and developed a gambling addiction, according to the local judicial authorities.

To show the achievements of the anti-gang crackdown, Chongqing has been holding a 10-day exhibition in the compound of the city's public security bureau.

The low-profile exhibition, which ended yesterday, was open to representatives and members of the city's legislative and advisory authorities, governments, judicial organs as well as their families.

Media and local residents were not allowed in.

"Through the event, we could reassure authorities to continue backing our mission pump police morale and deter officers protecting gangs," an unnamed police director was quoted by the Guangzhou-based Time Weekly as saying.

The newspaper said its reporter, who managed to get into the exhibition, saw valuable luxuries at the show featuring 65 top cars, 85 expensive watches, 29 pieces of antiques, 15 jewels, 61.53 kg of drugs and advanced weapons.

Politics and law committee under Party committee of the municipality, who co-organized the show, told China Daily that authorities have not decided how to deal with the assets.

Huang Fei, a middle-aged civil servant who saw the show, said she was most impressed by the 20 million yuan, which had been wrapped in oiled paper by Wen and buried underneath mud of a fish pound near airport expressway.

"You don't usually see stacks of black cash and priceless items piled right in front of you. It's not on TV and it's a real shock," she said.

Besides top gears and jewels, the exhibit displayed one of cultural relics collected by gang boss, Chen Mingliang. Most of the items were from illegal trading and tombs excavation and some of which were sent as bribery to officials in exchange for protection.

"They are bold and they are cruel," said another visitor Zhang Xuan.

Other equipments for eavesdropping, geographic positioning, surveillance, and intercommunication used by the gangs were also lined up.

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