On April 15 and 17, the General Administration of Customs of China and China Coast Guard, mobilizing 8 directly affiliated Customs districts and coast guard preparatory groups in 7 provinces (municipalities directly under the central government), mounted two special operations in a row (which were the one codenamed “3.25” and the one codenamed “45.07”) to crack down on the smuggling of refined oil. 2 smuggling gangs, over 250 suspects and an estimate of 440,000 tons of smuggled refined oil with a street value of RMB 2.2 billion were smashed, arrested and identified in the two operations. This is an important battle won by the General Administration of Customs and China Coast Guard in “Spring Thunder” (a campaign to crack down on the smuggling of refined oil ) in translating into practice the relevant directions given by the State Council.
On April 15， Mr.Yu Guangzhou, Minister of the General Administration of Customs, Mr.Hu Wei, Vice Minister of the General Administration of Customs and Mr.Wang Hongguang, Chief of Staff of China Coast Guard paid a field visit to Ningbo Customs District in Ningbo city where the central command of the “3.25” operation was located, directed 7 customs districts ( i.e. Ningbo Customs District, Tianjin Customs District, Dalian Customs District, Shanghai Customs District, Xiamen Customs District, Qingdao Customs District and Shenzhen Customs District) and 7 coast guard preparatory groups in Zhejiang Province, Tianjin Municipality, Liaoning Province, Shanghai Municipality, Fujian Province, Shangdong Province and Guangdong Province to start the operation. With the support of the local public security authorities, officers combated the illegal activities both at land and on sea. At land, Customs officers arrested the principal suspects, searched the companies that might be involved into the smuggling activities and inspected the suspected storage places; while on sea, officers of China Coast Guard detained, seized and inspected the suspected boats and people.
2,032 officers and 30 ships divided into 190 operation groups took part in the operation in 7 provinces(municipalities directly under the central government)，smashing 1 well-organized smuggling gang, arresting 219 suspects, detaining 2,300 tons of suspected smuggled refined oil and 22 ships, and seizing a batch of accounting books and materials. Officers made an estimation that the case might involve 240,000 tons of smuggled refined oil with a street value of RMB 800 million and evaded revenue RMB 300 million.
On the early morning of April 17, Customs officers mounted another similar operation at the direction of Minister Yu Guangzhou and Vice Minister Hu Wei of the General Administration of Customs who paid a field visit to Nanjing Customs District to organize the operation. 36 suspects, 1 professional smuggling gang, over 4,000 tons of might-be refined oil, 5 ships and 4 oil tanks were smashed, seized, and closed down in the “45.07” operation. The case was estimated to involve the smuggling of 200,000 tons of refined oil with a street value of RMB1.4 billion and evaded revenue of RMB 400 million.
Minister Yu Guangzhou and Vice Minister Hu Wei of the General Administration of Customs were at the
central command of “3.25” operation.
Minister Yu Guangzhou and Vice Minister Hu Wei of the General Administration of Customs were at the
central command of “3.25” operation.
Mr. Yu Guangzhou, Minister of the General Administration of Customs, Mr. Hu Wei, Vice Minister of the
Genera Administration of Customs and Mr. Wang Hongguang, Chief of Staff of China Coast Guard
were at the central command of “3.25” operation.
Officers of Tianjin Customs District detained the ship that had been involved in smuggling activities.
Anti-smuggling officers of Ningbo Customs District were working on the action plan of the operation.
(Ningbo Central Command) , Mr. Yu Guangzhou, Minister of the General Administration of Customs,
Mr. Hu Wei, Vice Minister of the General Administration of Customs and Mr. Wang Hongguang,
Chief of Staff of China Coast Guard were at the central command of “3.25” operation.