Further crackdown called for on organized crime

The Ministry of Public Security aims to nip organized crime in the bud, targeting major crime rings and preventing emerging organizations from growing and gaining footholds in society.

The ministry held a conference on organized crime on Monday, where it asked public security organs to follow the directives of the national leading group in the fight against organized crime, and firmly prevent its growth and expansion.

According to the ministry, since 2021, a total of 4,048 organized crime gangs have been busted and 58,000 associated criminal cases have been resolved.

The central government launched a nationwide three-year campaign against organized crime from 2018 to 2020. To consolidate the achievements made, the central government decided to continue the campaign in 2021.

During the conference, public security authorities across the country were urged to prioritize the well-being of the people, adhere to a holistic view of national security and focus on early interventions against illegal activities and small-scale criminal groups.

Efforts should be intensified in tackling major cases and taking special action targeting such crimes, to promote systematic rectification, as per the ministry's requirement.

Authorities must maintain a strong offensive posture, taking decisive measures to dismantle major criminal organizations and resolve major organized crime cases. They should also enhance the supervision and guidance of the investigations, ensuring effective targeting of these criminal gangs, the ministry said.

Authorities should also dig out the corrupt officials shielding organized crimes, dismantle corrupt networks, cut off the financial resources of the gangs and thoroughly investigate their financial interests, it said.

The ministry also emphasized prioritizing long-term governance, comprehensively strengthening the work against organized crime from the grassroots level, and enhancing the control of potential crimes from the source, so as to eliminate the breeding grounds for organized crime.

On June 25, the ministry launched a 100-day nationwide operation targeting prominent public security issues. During the period, police busted 38 mafia-like organizations and another 716 criminal groups, and captured 8,146 suspects, including 348 fugitives, according to the ministry.