BEIJING - Police in North China's Hebei province have cracked nine criminal rings allegedly involved in illegal gambling and prostitution, the Ministry of Public Security said on Wednesday.
Police in Sanhe city detained 285 suspects, seized 580,000 yuan ($90,000) and confiscated many tools that could be used to commit crimes, the ministry said.
"The crackdown was launched after we received tip-offs, and we collected the solid evidence through secret investigations," Liu Shaowu, director of security management for the Ministry of Public Security, said on Wednesday.
Liu said that in early October the ministry received reports from the public, which claimed many videogame shops in Sanhe's Yanjiao area organized illegal gambling, and some entertainment centers were connected with prostitution.
Plainclothes officers visited several venues three times to investigate.
The Hebei police then mobilized 400 officers from nearby Tangshan city to conduct a raid on Sunday night, which exposed the criminal rings, he said.
Most of the gamblers came from Beijing and Tianjin, according to the police.
"The police will continue digging out the organizers, managers, gamblers, as well as officers who harbor the suspects," Liu said.
Since September, police across the country have received 28,000 tip-offs from the public, and have confirmed 9200 pieces of information. From those they have established 4,100 cases.
"In the next phase, we will target illegal food processors, who do serious harm to public health," Liu said. "We will take action in response to the public's concerns and expectations."
Using police from other areas is an effective way to crack down on crime gangs, Dai Peng, a professor at the Chinese People's Public Security University, said on Wednesday.
"In this way, police can avoid possible hindrance from local government departments that may provide shelter to criminals," Dai said.
"Cutting off relations between the protective authorities and local gangs is the most difficult and challenging task for police in many places."
Dai also said most local protection authorities have been involved in serious corruption.
