Chinese police solve over 5,200 criminal cases in Yangtze River protection campaign

BEIJING, Dec. 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese police have solved more than 5,200 criminal cases and dismantled over 710 criminal gangs as part of a nationwide campaign to protect the Yangtze River, the Ministry of Public Security announced on Tuesday.

Launched in February this year, the campaign targets illegal activities in the Yangtze River Basin, including illegal fishing, unauthorized sand mining, and unlawful behavior that poses a threat to water transport logistics.

The initiative is part of a broader effort to safeguard one of China's most vital water systems, said Luo Ji, an official with the ministry, noting that such law enforcement operations have been ongoing since 2020, and have consistently yielded positive results.

One notable aspect of this particular campaign was a special six-month operation launched in April, targeting crimes related to water transport logistics.

During this period, law enforcement authorities successfully solved more than 300 criminal cases, including incidents of ship fuel theft. The total financial value involved in these crimes reached around 320 million yuan (about 44.52 million U.S. dollars).

The ministry plans to refine its law enforcement strategy by integrating professional expertise, advanced mechanisms, and big data analytics amid its continuous efforts to foster the high-quality development of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, Luo said.