BEIJING, Feb. 16 -- The Ministry of Public Security on Sunday urged police nationwide to crack down on crimes involving prostitution, gambling and drugs, and suggested that major leaders of Dongguan City bear responsibility for the widespread sex trade.

The ministry urged all police staff to take Dongguan as a lesson and strengthen their campaign against prostitution, gambling and drugs to improve the people's sense of security and satisfaction.

Following media exposure of widespread prostitution in Dongguan of Guangdong Province last week, police in recent days have waged a large-scale crackdown on the sex trade.

The ministry suggested Guangdong provincial authorities find those responsible, including leading officials of the Dongguan police department and other police staff.

Yan Xiaokang, vice mayor of Dongguan and head of the city's Public Security Bureau, has already been sacked for dereliction of duty, the Guangdong Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) said on Friday.

Following the exposure of the sex trade in Dongguan by China Central Television (CCTV) last week, the ministry said it attaches great importance to the issue and has called for swift, resolute measures to punish organizers and operators of the sex trade and has sent a panel to Guangdong for supervision.