Crackdown targets crimes against companies

Public security departments across the country have intensified the crackdown on all kinds of illegal activities that affect social security, stability and market order, effectively protecting the rights and interests of private enterprises and entrepreneurs, according to the Ministry of Public Security.

Public security departments have combated organized crime against companies. Last year, police nationwide uprooted about 400 criminal gangs involved in cybercrimes and resolved about 8,800 cases. Another 50 gangs using negative information to blackmail individuals or companies were smashed.

The ministry has organized public security organs to focus on the investigation of paid posters spreading rumors and turning public opinion against private enterprises for illegal gains, and hackers attacking private enterprises to affect the online business environment.

In one case, police in Shandong province investigated an extortion case involving an online poster gang in October 2022.

A man surnamed Lou and several other people collected negative materials through online reports and published administration information of several companies and institutions. Then they invited several internet celebrities to post the negative information, causing the topics to trend on social media.

They used this to force the dozen enterprises and institutions to sign a so-called "publicity and promotion agreement" to blackmail them for money. In the end, police captured 16 suspects and seized 27 social media accounts that had nearly 11 millions followers.

According to the ministry, public security organs also launched a series of operations to fight money laundering and underground banks and tax-related fraud, illegal financial activities, securities and futures-related crimes, and they coordinated with private companies to promote management of internal corruption.

In 2022, police nationwide handled 12,000 cases of embezzlement, misappropriation of funds, and commercial bribery, and investigated 17,000 cases of contract fraud, according to the ministry.

Additionally, they solved 27,000 cases of intellectual property rights infringement and the production and sale of counterfeit and shoddy commodities and established mechanisms with companies and industries to promote co-governance over intellectual property rights.