China Arrests over 80,000 Gamblers in Nationwide Swoop – February 22nd, 2005

Last month the Chinese Government targeted 600 gamblers, now they have taken this to an unprecedented level and have arrested 80,000 people in 30,000 illegal gambling cases as part of a nationwide swoop and closed down 86 foreign casinos near border towns.

“Until February 18, police had ferreted out more than 30,000 gambling cases and arrested over 80,000 suspects involved in illegal gambling”, director of the nationwide anti-gambling strike force and assistant minister of Public Security, Zhang Xinfeng said.

Late last month, the force sent 13 teams to an equal number of provinces, regions and cities to supervise the local crackdown on gambling as part of the Communist Party-led government’s efforts to stop the illegal activity, media reports said. Zhang said 86 foreign casinos in countries like Vietnam and Myanmar near the border of Yunnan, Guangxi and Jilin provinces have closed down, the reports said.

Since January this year, China has organised and carried out special operations to crack down on illegal gambling activities such as Mark Six lottery, football and horse betting, China News Service reported.