Urumqi customs tighten checks on weapons smuggling

URUMQI - Urumqi, capital of Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region, has tightened security checks at entry ports to curb weapons smuggling, the city's customs authorities told Xinhua on Friday.

According to the Urumqi Customs, security checks have been stepped up for individuals, luggage, transport facilities and postal deliveries at land border crossings.

Xue Jinlou, head of customs, said they will destroy trafficking networks and eliminate weapons smuggling risk in the region.

The customs authorities' anti-smuggling bureau seized 244 illegal guns and 1,590 bullets from the start of 1999 to the end of 2009.

Xue said Urumqi Customs has used nontraditional means to counter terrorism and maintain security in recent years.

The crackdown follows a terrorist attack in Xinjiang Thursday at an open air market in Urumqi that has left 31 dead and more than 90 injured.

Xinjiang covers an area of more than 1.66 million square kilometers. With borders running for over 5,600 km, it is a neighbor to eight countries including India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Russia and others.

Its geographical position and complex surrounding environment have posed challenges to the region's control of weapons smuggling.

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