Gangster trawl nabs top police

CHONGQING: At least six police chiefs of district-level bureaus in this southwestern municipality have been detained for serving as "protective umbrellas" for local gangs, insiders said yesterday as a crackdown against mafia-style crime continues.

During the campaign, which started about two months ago, 1,544 suspects, mainly gangsters and business people, were detained by Aug 15, and the local government vowed to "uproot every protective umbrella for gangs".

The "protective umbrella", according to local police insiders, refers to corrupt officials or black sheep from the judicial system, including Wen Qiang, the once high-profile director of the Chongqing Municipal Judicial Bureau.