An unlicensed cyber cafe in Longgang District has been shut down by the police and its owner will face criminal charges according to a new regulation, the municipal public security bureau announced yesterday.

The unlicensed Xinlang Internet Cafe was raided by Shenzhen police June 8. Its owner, who was identified by the police as Wei, said it had earned some 200,000 yuan (US$25,000) since opening in February.

Individuals who run illegal Internet bars with a business turnover of over 50,000 yuan or a profit of 10,000 yuan face up to five years' imprisonment or a fine of up to five times the illegal profit, the bureau said.

The Shenzhen Municipal Public Security Bureau, Shenzhen Intermediate People's Court and Shenzhen People's Procuratorate jointly introduced a guideline in June to penalize illegal Internet bars according to Chinese Criminal Law. Previously, illegal Internet bars only faced fines from the industrial and commercial administrative bureau and cultural department.

Xinlang Internet Cafe on Quichong Road in Longgang opened in February without a business permit. The 24-hour bar had admitted underaged people, which is against the law, did not register the real names of customers as required, and was not fireproofed, said the police.

The police confiscated 208 computers and relevant Internet equipment on the spot.

"This is the first case where we dealt with illegal Internet bars according to criminal law. We will further strengthen the crackdown on illegal Internet bars," said Chong Jianzhong, head of economic crime investigation force of the Longgang Public Security Branch Bureau in the news release.

(Shenzhen Daily October 10, 2006)