China launches first round of inspection of national crackdown on gang crime

BEIJING - Central authorities have launched the first round of inspection of a national crackdown on gang crime.

From Aug. 27 to Sept. 1, nine inspection teams were deployed to nine provincial-level regions including Shanxi, Fujian, Guangdong, Chongqing, and Sichuan.

Meetings were also held in the nine regions, responding to concerns of the public which were highlighted as priorities for the authorities. Clues concerning criminal gangs should be checked in time and major cases should be transferred by law to relevant departments. Clues of discipline and law violations of party and government officials should be transferred in time to discipline inspection and supervision authorities.

The meetings also urged to crack the "protective umbrellas" behind gangs with zero tolerance.

The nine inspection teams are all headed by provincial-level officials while the deputy heads were selected from member units of the leading group of the national crackdown on gangs and organized crimes.

The length of each inspection team will be one month. Telephone hotlines, as well as post boxes and emails, have been set up to accept public complaints on local gang-related activities. Sources of the complaints will be strictly protected.

This round of inspection has been well prepared. A workshop on inspection of a national crackdown on gang crime was held on June 24. Following the workshop, a pilot inspection was held in north China's Hebei Province. Experiences and practices were introduced to the inspection teams before their departure.

Inspection of a national crackdown on gang crime consists of three rounds, with each round covering 10 provincial-level regions.