This Day, That Year

On Jan 5, 1999, the Anti-Smuggling Investigation Bureau was established under the General Administration of Customs. The new force was intended to fight tariff-related smuggling crime.

In the past 19 years, anti-smuggling officers have played an important role in curbing smuggling.

Last year, customs authorities in 13 provinces and regions launched a crackdown which saw 127 suspects detained for smuggling solid waste into the country, according to the General Administration of Customs. More than 323,000 metric tons of "foreign garbage", including plastic scraps and waste mineral residue, were seized.