The special operation, which began on March 22, seized 40 stolen cars, estimated at more than 7 million yuan (US$843,000).

The 40 stolen vehicles include 16 vans, 10 jeeps and 24 foreign and Chinese-made sedan cars, said an official from the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Bureau.

Three illegal workshops operated by the gang were also shut down.

The official said many items, including fake vehicle licenses, driving licenses and fake vehicle license plates, were also seized in the operation.

And 17 motorists, whose cars had been stolen by the gang, had their vehicles returned to them at a ceremony in Zhuhai.

But a luxury imported Mercedes Benz valued at more than 1 million yuan (US$120,000) is still waiting for its owner at the Zhuhai Public Security Bureau.

After two months of investigations, Guangdong police believed they have completely destroyed the criminal gang that used to be active in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Zhuhai, Dongguan, Huizhou, Zhongshan, Zhaoqing, Jiangmen and Foshan in the prosperous Pearl River Delta.

"And it is also a heavy blow to the province's car thieves," the official said.

It is, so far, the biggest gang of car thieves which has been smashed in Guangdong Province, the official added.

The gang is believed to have stolen a total of 140 cars worth more than 20 million yuan (US$2.4 million) since 2001.

Most of the stolen cars were luxury foreign brand name ones, including Mercedes Benz, Toyota, Honda and BMW.

The gang also established an sophisticated car sales network in the previous years.

Most of the stolen cars were re-assembled and re-painted before they were sold in Hunan and Jiangxi provinces and the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.

(China Daily May 29, 2003)