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Drug-Riddled Guangdong Town Presents Challenge to Police

Posted: 06/25/2014 8:00 am

A police raid on Boshe village in December, 2013.

Like other Chinese provinces, Guangdong often launches ill-fated campaigns against corruption, prostitution or terrorism. While some campaigns enjoy moderate levels of success, when it comes to the drug trade, attempts at intervention have been less than stellar. Not to put too fine a point on it, the province’s Deputy Police Chief recently admitted that he is unable to eradicate drug production in Lufeng.

READ: Drug Sting at Hotel in Guangzhou Nets 10 Foreigners

“It will take arduous work over a long period to solve the problem of Lufeng. We are trying to use high-handed measures to clamp down on its drug trade. We hope to see a turning point in the second half of the year,” said Guo Shaobo, Deputy Head of Guangdong Police Department, China News reported.

Locally known as “the fortress”, Lufeng is responsible for one-third of all crystal meth production in China.

READ: Two Middle Eastern Men Swallow RMB 2.25 Million Worth of Drugs,
Arrive in Shenzhen

Located on the coast of the South China Sea, Lufeng is notorious for its meth production. The city’s stronghold of Boshe village, nestled deep in the mountains, provides the perfect hideout for the family-run meth empire.

Suspects run at the first sign of police, while villagers intently watch for any movement on city outskirts. In some cases, villagers organize road barricades to block police from entering, Yangcheng Evening News reported.

The drug trade is an open secret in the village, given that the party chief and some corrupt police officials shield its drug production. In fact, the party chief was named the “biggest drug trafficker” in the region. More than one-fifth of all households are linked to drug production or trafficking, which is the only profitable livelihood for many villagers.

READ: Cops Surround KTV in Dongguan and Arrest 1,000 in Ketamine Raid

Still, even to some experienced policemen, the extent of the village’s drug operation remains shocking. In December 2013, a massive police raid involving more than 3,000 policemen, using helicopters and speedboats, seized three tons of crystal meth and 23 tons of raw materials, South China Morning Post reported.

According to Guo, authorities in Guangdong have seized a total of 14.1 tons of drugs, with a street value of nearly RMB 160 million, since launching “Operation Thunder” in July 2013. The province has busted 320 criminal drug rings, arrested 20,403 people and dismantled 361 drug production bases. In addition to the traditionally known drugs, new drug varieties are surfacing, such as a new drug called Khat or African Tea.

Even with those impressive statistics, the Deputy Police Chief is less than optimistic about his department’s ability to stem the flow of drugs into Guangdong.

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Photos: SCMP, China News

Haohao
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Guangdong Officials Banned from Using Triad Nomenclature

Posted: 05/14/2014 8:10 pm

According to a missive issued by the Guangdong Provincial Bureau of Discipline Supervision, all workers belonging to government bodies are now forbidden to call each other names like “boss“, “Don“, or any other titles with underworld implications.

Also made forbidden is the practice by which some government workers have taken to calling subordinates by the nomenclature of “brother” or “bro“.

The Bureau of Discipline Supervision stated this practice destroys both party democracy and the image of the public servant; as such, it is not conducive to the character of the Party and the People’s government, and so is forbidden.

The missive does not cover it, but we’re not sure what to call a envelope that is red in color except maybe a “red envelope”.

Related:
No More First Class Flights for Guangdong Officials
No More Clubbing for Guangzhou Officials
In Trying to Clean Up the Environment, Guangdong Cracks Down on Officials
Local Officials Ask to “Borrow” Orphans to Make Themselves Look Good

Photo: m1905

Haohao
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Chengguan outsource work to gangsters in Shenzhen district

Posted: 07/23/2012 1:00 pm

Comparisons have been drawn between the mafia and the city’s law enforcers in Shenzhen, and on this occasion it may not be so far fetched.

Chuangye Road and Nanyou Road in Shenzhen’s Nanshan District are among the most affluent areas in the city, at least in terms of appearance. The vicinity has its share of expats because there are at least two major language training centers, Web and Meten; Shekou Walmart; and the thriving Coastal City. But the area may not be as safe as locals had once thought, local media have reported.

For over a year, business owners have been threatened by a gang led by a criminal surnamed Zhang, who have been demanding protection fees after being authorized to do the work of a Chengguan, or Urban Administrator. It is quite common for Chengguan to outsource work to members of the public, but these members are only authorized to patrol streets and report criminal behaviour to higher authorities.

After Zhang was arrested in early June, it was discovered that one of the assistant urban administrators working under him was Gong Bo.

Gong was stabbed to death by a barbecue vendor in 2011 after he tried to forcibly shut down the man’s business. The barbecue vendor was given life in jail and told to pay 680,000 RMB in compensation.

After arrests of Zhang’s gang were made at businesses such as nightclubs, restaurants and internet bars. It was discovered that they had had no training and were acting far above their station as Assistant Chengguan.

Zhang and his gang face a total of 24 charges. His right hand man, also surnamed Zhang was interviewed by the Daily Sunshine but was distinctly uncooperative, insisting that he had been arrested for nothing other than getting into a fight caused by a misunderstanding.

A shop owner in the Cote D’azur residential complex expressed relief that the men had been arrested, claiming to have been intimidated and stolen from by the gang.

One netizen said the barbecue owner who murdered Gong should be awarded, not arrested. Another opined that there is no difference between Chengguan and mafia anyway.

Haohao
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