The China Coast Guard (CCG) in east China's Fujian Province has busted a major case involving the illegal mining of sea sand and arrested 59 suspects.

An initial probe revealed that the case involves more than 75 million tonnes of sea sand worth more than 5 billion yuan (over 765 million U.S. dollars), CCG sources said here.

The coast guard, in close cooperation with local police, spent more than six months investigating the case and confiscated seven vessels and about 35,000 tonnes of sea sand.

Further investigation is underway.

Sea sand is an important marine resource, the loss of which will harm the country's coastal zones and its marine geology.