Guangdong official touts crackdown on rural gangsters

A senior security official in Guangdong reiterated on Thursday the province's zero-tolerance policy on gang-related crimes at township and village levels.

Qian Bo, deputy director of the Guangdong Public Security Department's Criminal Investigation Bureau, said authorities will prioritize the fight against criminal organizations, village tyrants and patriarchal societies at the grassroots level.

He said campaigns would be launched to fight crimes that threaten villagers' livelihoods and properties in rural areas.

"Some criminal gangs in rural areas have affected social stability and residents' lives by illegally sabotaging grassroots elections, monopolizing local markets, opening underground casinos, defrauding villagers and organizing robberies," Qian said at a news conference in Guangzhou.

Police have detained 810 suspects, including more than 30 village heads and cadres, after busting more than 150 criminal gangs in townships and villages this year, he said.

In addition, police have cracked 280 criminal cases and seized a large number of guns, knives, iron rods and other weapons, he added.