BEIJING, Jan. 30 -- Chinese police have intensified the crackdown on law violations and crimes related to the ongoing epidemic of pneumonia caused by a novel coronavirus.

Official data showed that so far, police in east China's Shanghai Municipality, Zhejiang, Jiangsu and Jiangxi provinces have busted seven cases of manufacturing and selling counterfeit masks, with 20 suspects seized and over 380,000 masks confiscated.

In north China's Tianjin, police are investigating a case where the suspects significantly raise the price of masks amid surging demands.

As of noon on Wednesday, public security departments nationwide had handled 377 cases involving disturbance of social order and 83 cases involving obstruction of epidemic prevention and control efforts.

Meanwhile, tightened measures have been taken by the police to give a heavy blow to illegal sale and trafficking of wildlife.

Up to now, the police have cracked 19 cases of wildlife crimes and seized 29 suspects.