BEIJING -- China destroyed on Friday more than 37 million counterfeit audio and video discs that were confiscated in the latter half of this year, said sources with the Ministry of Culture (MOC).

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The illegal products were confiscated nationwide, with nearly 7.5 million from Guangdong, and more than one million from each of the ten provinces including Shandong, Hubei, Henan and Jiangxi, according to the ministry.

"China has launched an extensive campaign for the sixth consecutive year," a senior official with MOC told Xinhua.

To eliminate the counterfeit audio and video discs, China has set up a special department to supervise shops that sell audio and video discs, raided underground factories and warehouses that produce and store the discs.

In the first nine months of the year, more than 740,000 shops engaged in the sale and production of audio and video discs and 1.45 million Internet bars were visited by government inspectors. More than 14,000 were ordered to rectify business practices, and 3,189 companies and enterprises were ordered to close.