A total of 1,395 suspects were caught in China's latest round of a campaign against organized criminal gangs, according to a statement issued by the Ministry of Public Security on Monday.
This round of the campaign was launched by police authorities in 11 provincial-level regions, following a previous round that started in September.
Also according to the statement, 20 mafia-style organizations and another 121 gangs were crushed during the campaign, including a gang involved in monopolizing the local seafood market with forces in Xiamen, Fujian province, a gang involved in loan-sharking in Wenzhou, Zhejiang province, and a gang involved in illegal operation of casinos in Guiyang, Guizhou province, among others.
Since the central government launched a national campaign against organized criminal gangs in 2006, police authorities have maintained a heavy-handed approach against such crimes, the statement read.
Police authorities across the nation have broken up 2,174 organized criminal gangs in past five years, capturing 4,273 guns and freezing assets worth over 10 billion yuan ($1.57 billion)， according to the statement.
Sales of guns are illegal in China.
