China investigates 2,520 smuggling cases this year

Chinese anti-smuggling authorities have investigated 2,520 cases of suspected smuggling crimes involving over 66.3 billion yuan (US$9.29 billion) this year, effectively curbing relevant offenses, sources from the Ministry of Public Security said Friday.

Since 2012, relevant authorities nationwide have investigated 33,000 such cases, including 18,000 cases involving tax-related violations, according to Sun Zhijie, head of the anti-smuggling department of the General Administration of Customs.

The rising tendency of smuggling endangered animals and plants and relevant products, such as ivory, pangolin scales, and rosewood timbers, had been effectively contained, the official said, noting that a total of 2,130 such cases have been investigated over the past ten years, and about 5,729 tons of illegal goods have been seized.

Over the same period, authorities have investigated 1,631 cases involving weapons and ammunition smuggling, seizing 17,000 guns, and dealt with 5,513 drug smuggling cases, seizing 39.4 tons of narcotics.

China also launched specific campaigns against the smuggling of refined oil, electronic products, cigarettes, and alcohol.