Crackdown on Gangs Urged

State Councilor Luo Gan has urged all localities to carry out the "Strike Hard" campaign against organized crime in an in-depth and sustained manner, and severely and promptly punish the forces of evil according to law.

Luo, a member of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and secretary of the Political Science and Law Committee Under the CPC Central Committee, made the remark during a study tour of Hubei Province May 11-15.

During his trip, Luo visited local police stations, prisons, transformation-through-labor houses, commercial streets, residential areas and state-owned enterprises.

Since the national working conference on public security was held in April, many criminal groups have been smashed and a large number of gangsters arrested, the state councilor said. He urged law-enforcers to win new victories in the campaign.

The official pledged to wipe out gangs completely, and severely punish what he called the "protective umbrella" of these gangs. Those who have been involved in protecting the gangs must be investigated, regardless of their positions, he stressed.

However, the drive must be carried out according to law and it is strictly forbidden to extort confessions by torture, he noted.








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