The people's courts at all levels heard 350 cases of organized crimes of underworld in nature, involving 1,953 criminals, 6.3 times and 3.8 times more than in 2000.

According to reports by the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate to the on-going annual session of the Ninth National People's congress Monday, the law-enforcement agencies resolutely implemented the principle of punishing criminals severely and swiftly according to law.

The Supreme People's Procuratorate took to itself to oversee the handling of 381 serious cases and the people's procuratorates at all levels approved the arrests of and prosecuted more than 450,000 suspects.

The people's courts at all levels heard and closed 340,000 serious criminal cases, with more than 150,000 sentenced to at least five years' imprisonment, life imprisonment and to death, 15.07 percent more than in 2000.

According to the reports, the law-enforcement agencies gave particular attention to uncovering and punishing those who accepted bribes and worked behind the scenes of organized crimes of underworld in nature or provided protection to such crimes. The people's procuratorates at all levels investigated 279 such cases, involving 345 people.

In addition, the people's courts at all levels heard and closed 11045 criminal cases involving shooting and explosions and punished 12,005 criminals, 81.6 percent more than in 2000, including the appalling case of Jin Ruchao, which killed 108 and injured five seriously and eight lightly.

(Xinhua News Agency March 11, 2002)