China Still Tough on Smuggling

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, December 14, 2001

China Still Tough on Smuggling

From last January to November, the anti-smuggling police in the country put 1,325 suspected smuggling cases on file for investigation, with 6.51 billion yuan involved and winded up 1,180 smuggling cases with 7.83 billion yuan involved respectively.

And the customs officers seized altogether 3.713 suspects and arrested 1,913 criminals in total.

1,325 smuggling cases investigated

From last January to November, the anti-smuggling police in the country put 1,325 suspected smuggling cases on file for investigation, with 6.51 billion yuan involved and winded up 1,180 smuggling cases with 7.83 billion yuan involved respectively.

This has dealt a heavy blow at the large-scale smuggling activities, said the General Administration of Customs (GAC) in a press release Thursday. And the customs officers seized altogether 3.713 suspects and arrested 1,913 criminals in total.

More supervisors invited

Since it was teamed up over two years ago, the Anti-Smuggling Police of GAC have as reported resorted to tough measures in cracking down criminal activities, meanwhile have its management and supervision strengthened. In August 2000, 10 personnel were invited from among departments concerned to serve as supervisors for GAC's work. Thursday saw another 13 supervisors receive letters of appointment from GAC at the ceremony for appointment, adding the number of GAC's invited supervisors to over 320 in all.

From last January to October

Chinese customs officers investigated 1,091 smuggling cases in the first ten months of 2001, up 6.03 percent from the same period of last year, the General Administration of Customs (GAC) said in a press release Friday.

The cases involved 4.74 billion yuan (about 573.16 million U.S. dollars), down 32.2 percent. GAC attributed the success to the tough anti-smuggling measures put in practice by the Chinese government.

From January to October, the customs authority put 1,228 suspected smuggling cases on file for investigation, with 6.08 billion yuan (735.19 million U.S. dollars) involved.

Amendments to Customs Law Tighten Supervision

The just-passed Amendments to the Customs Law considerably expand the power of the customs to crack down on smugglers, but at the same time it tightens the supervision of the customs service, especially that of senior customs officers.

The Amendments were passed in Beijing Saturday at the 16th meeting of the Standing Committee of the Ninth National People's Congress (NPC), which closed Saturday afternoon.

The Amendments, which consist of 71 articles, will go into effect January 1, 2001.

The Amendments entitle customs officers to the same rights as public security bodies regarding investigation, detention, arrest and preliminary hearing.

Chinese lawmakers voiced concern that the actions of customs officers should be more closely monitored when deliberating the draft of the Amendments.

By PD Online staff member Huang Ying

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