High pressure on organized crime persists

Authorities target rural clans, activities online and shelter from judicial officials

Nationwide prosecutorial authorities kept up the high pressure on organized crime last year, prosecuting 14,902 individuals, a 5.2 percent year-on-year increase, according to a white paper issued by the Supreme People's Procuratorate.

The white paper on criminal prosecution work for 2023, issued on March 9, highlighted that procuratorates have prioritized major crimes and specific areas, actively participating in operations targeting online organized crime. Among these cases, 2,972 individuals were associated with mafia-like underworld criminal groups, while 11,930 individuals were involved in gang-related crimes.

Additionally, rural clans, the erosion of grassroots political power by organized crime, and the exploitation of minors in criminal activities were strictly addressed. A total of 1,509 individuals involved in rural organized crime and clans were prosecuted.

The top procuratorate supervised the handling of 14 major organized crime cases last year. One such case involved a criminal organization led by Liu Wenxue, which operated in cities like Heihe and Beian in Heilongjiang province for over 20 years. They engaged in various illegal activities such as intentional injury, brawl gathering, extortion and running casinos, severely disrupting socioeconomic order.

Despite challenges such as old evidence and complex legal procedures, prosecutors oversaw the case, leading to the main culprit being sentenced to death with a two-year reprieve last year by the court in Heilongjiang, with other members also sentenced to imprisonment.

Deputy Procurator-General of the SPP Chen Guoqing emphasized that prosecutorial authorities at all levels have actively worked with disciplinary inspection and supervision commissions and public security authorities to investigate and handle crimes committed by judicial officials involved in organized crime.

Last year, investigations were initiated against 165 judicial officials who sheltered organized crimes, and another 110 officials were prosecuted.

Chen noted that with the tough crackdown on organized crime, some criminals have begun to hide and adapt, shifting from offline to online activities and from traditional to emerging industries, which makes detecting and handling cases more challenging.

To address this shift, special operations targeting organized crime online were carried out by the SPP, the Ministry of Public Security and other departments. Last year, nationwide procuratorates prosecuted 3,504 individuals involved in online organized crime, effectively curtailing the spread of such crimes.

Chen stated that this year, prosecutorial authorities nationwide will focus on advancing the legalization, standardization and specialization of the fight against organized crime. Efforts will also be made to strengthen legal supervision, promote industry rectification and enhance comprehensive governance.

Moreover, emphasis will be placed on discovering and verifying clues related to organized crime cases and conducting risk assessments. Chen stressed the importance of strengthening supervision and investigating crimes committed by judicial personnel while strictly punishing those who shelter such criminals.