BEIJING, Feb. 6-- "Several" officials and 36 police officers in Dongguan, the southern Chinese city nicknamed the "Sex capital", have been punished for negligence and abuse of power, a police official said on Friday.

Seventeen of them have been prosecuted or may face prosecution, Hua Jingfeng of the Ministry of Public Security said at a press conference, without detailing the exact number of officials.

The nature of the punishments and prosecutions was also not elaborated on by Hua, although it is thought that the non-criminal ones include removal from office and demotions.

The Chinese government launched a crackdown on prostitution in Dongguan, Guangdong Province, after a media expose of its rampant sex trade last February. The crackdown soon went national.

Dongguan's police and officials are widely believed to have sheltered prostitution, which is a substantial contributor to the city's economy and employment. Yan Xiaokang, Dongguan's vice mayor and police head, was removed from his posts last February.

The following 12 months have seen police arrest of 1,045 in Dongguan for organizing or sponsoring prostitution, which is illegal in China, according to Hua. The city tightened supervision over all entertainment venues in a bid to eliminate the sex trade as well as gambling activities.

Local police will be the first to be punished wherever a sex trade develops, said Hua, adding that punishment for those operating, organizing or sheltering prostitution must be heavier than detention.