China prosecutes 2,305 suspects involved in epidemic-related crimes

BEIJING -- A total of 2,305 people in 1,883 cases had been prosecuted in China over criminal offenses related to the COVID-19 epidemic, said the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP).

Among them, 25 people were indicted for impairing infectious disease prevention, 556 for obstructing official duties, 162 for manufacturing or selling fake or inferior products such as substandard drugs or medical equipment, 21 for engaging in illegal business operations including price gouging and 330 for damaging wildlife resources such as hunting illegally, killing or selling precious or endangered wild animals and their byproducts, the SPP said.

Other violations include intentional injuries, fraud and the fabrication and intentional transmission of false information, it added.