Chinese customs officers and other agencies have successfully handled 21,117 smuggling cases in1999, 36.2 percent more than in 1998.

The cases involved about 12.7 billion yuan (1.5 billion US dollars) in total, a drop of 39 percent over the previous year, according to a customs source.

Customs officers collected 2.63 billion yuan (317.7 million US dollars) in fines and confiscated funds. They seized cars, steel materials, synthetic fibers, chemicals, cigarettes, crude oil, food oil, paper and telecommunications equipment. They also confiscated 520 kilograms of narcotics, 20.14 million pirated video compact discs, 10.87 million yuan in counterfeit currency, 7,350 weapons and 627 cultural relics.

Rampant smuggling in the country is now under control after a campaign launched a year and a half ago, said the source with the China General Administration of Customs.