1.16m people held for gambling

2005-12-02 08:42

Shanghai - Chinese authorities arrested 1.16 million people suspected of involvement in illegal betting in a nationwide anti-gambling campaign from January to September, said reports.

The Xinhua News Agency reported that police seized $288m in 163 000 cases during the crackdown, aimed mainly at preventing public officials from squandering public funds in casinos in neighbouring Macau, North Korea and Vietnam.

The report gave no comparative figures for 2004.

The report said 8 735 members of the ruling Communist Party were punished for gambling between January and October.

Among them was Cai Haowen, a former transportation manager in Yanbian, a city in northeastern China's Jilin province that bordered North Korea.

It said Cai was sentenced to 17 years in prison in May for embezzling and gambling away $384 000.

The report said: "Cross boarder gambling, especially when played by government officials, could directly undermine the national security and social stability, and tarnish CPC's image."

He said 30 agencies linked to overseas casinos and 19 underground banks were closed this year in an effort to deter cross-border gambling.

- AP