【BBC】Police held in China gang probe

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Police held in China gang probePage last updated at 05:52 GMT, Friday, 21 August 2009 06:52 UK

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8213357.stm


More than 30 police officers have been detained, say reports

At least six district police chiefs in the Chinesecity of Chongqing have been detained as part of a crackdown on criminalgangs.
They were being investigated on suspicion of giving "protective umbrellas" to gangs, said state media.
Local media reported the gangs were involved in illegal casinos, loan sharking and extortion.


The two-month investigation has already caught the long-standing former deputy head of Chongqing's police.


WenQiang, the once high-profile director of the Chongqing MunicipalJudicial Bureau, was detained earlier this month alongside the head ofthe judicial bureau.


Wang Lijun, a top policeman know for being tough on gangs, has been brought in to Chongqing to oversee the continuing cleanup.


So far, 1,544 suspects have been investigated, including prominent business people, the China Daily reported.


Earlierthis month, a government spokesman said more than 100 suspectedgangsters had been detained in Chongqing alone and 14 gangs broken up.


Climate of fear

ChinaDaily cited a senior police officer as saying 30 to 40 police officershad been detained in the city so far for involvement in crimes or forprotecting gangs.


Three of the six district police chiefs weredetained a few minutes before the opening of a meeting last week thatwas to focus on the anti-gang operation.


The local governmenthas vowed to "uproot every protective umbrella for gangs", a phraseused to refer to corrupt officials or members of the judicial system.


HongKong's South China Morning Post said there was a climate of fear amongthe city's police forces, with staff working double shifts seeing theircolleagues disappear into jail on a daily basis.


The wife ofthe deputy director of Yubei district police bureau committed suicideafter her husband was detained for alleged involvement in a local gangthat had monopolised the local pork market, China Daily said.


The paper also quoted an unnamed policewoman as saying she had never thought the campaign could go so far.