Border police in the eastern coastal province of Fujian have arrested 160 "snake heads", a nickname for criminals who organize and transport illegal immigrants out of China, in the past five months.
The police investigated 18 cases in the period, and detained 90 illegal immigrants, effectively checking the trend of group illegal immigration.
A police spokesman said targeting "snake heads" is a key measure to obstruct illegal immigration. The enhanced crackdown campaign has force over 20 fugitive "snake heads" to surrender to the police, according to the spokesman.
The police department has decided to continue its efforts in this regard through to the end of February, sources said.
(People's Daily October 24, 2001)
