China cracks down on online black markets

The Ministry of Public Security has launched a nationwide campaign to crack down on online black markets selling illegal goods including weapons and human organs, the ministry said Monday. The campaign, to last till February next year, is to investigate and punish online trafficking of items such as guns, explosives, some kinds of knives, highly poisonous chemicals, wiretapping software, fake identity cards, counterfeit money, personal information and human organs, the ministry said in a statement. The police will not only shut down websites that are implicated or punish their owners, but suspend related phone numbers and online accounts and impose penalties on the offenders, the statement said. According to the statement, the supervision and investigation will be focused on search engines, instant messaging services, e-commerce platforms and online blogs and forums. If the websites fail to delete the illegal information promptly after notice, they will receive orders of suspension of operation, and the police will close those websites that are knowingly or repeatedly spreading the illegal information, the statement said. The ministry has also set up a tip-off website, www.cyberpolice.cn, for the public to report related offenses and is promising rewards for those who provide valuable clues, the statement said.