Guangdong authorities pledge more strikes on criminal gangs

Liang Ruiguo (left) director of the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department's Criminal Investigation Bureau, speaks with his colleagues while inspecting the tools and other goods seized by police officers after busting a large number of criminal gangs in special campaign launched in the previous months. [Photo by Zheng Caixiong/chinadaily.com.cn]

A senior police officer in South China's Guangdong province vowed to redouble efforts in the fight against illegal groups and violent gangs in 2019, after a 40-day campaign against criminals.

Liang Ruiguo, director of the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department's Criminal Investigation Bureau, urged police officers across Guangdong, one of the country's economic powerhouses, to continue their firm stance and introduce more concrete and effective measures to fight against organized crimes, violent activities and mafia-style criminal gangs in the months to come.

He hinted more special operations will be launched to clamp down on the crimes this year to ensure a good and sound social environment to better serve the province's economic development.

Liang made the remarks on Wednesday after police across Guangdong busted more than 50 mafia-style criminal gangs during a 40-day campaign launched in late October.

"Police seized more than 40 guns during the campaign," Liang told a press conference in Guangzhou, the provincial capital.