Chinese police arrest 18,000 for gun, explosives crimes

BEIJING -- China's public security authorities have arrested 18,000 suspects in a campaign against crimes involving guns and explosives that was initiated by the Ministry of Public Security this year.

A total of 83 gangs and 231 dens have been busted, involving 18,000 individual cases, according to the MPS.

Thanks to the crackdown, during the first 10 months of this year, the number of crimes in China involving guns and explosives dropped by 13.3 percent and 19.2 percent year on year, respectively, said the MPS.

Conducted in cooperation with relevant departments, the three-year campaign focuses on areas including online trafficking and overseas smuggling.