Han Ximin

ximhan@126.com

IN the effort to curb gambling in urban villages, Longgang police recently destroyed more than 2,000 mahjong tables that were suspected of being used for gambling.

The mahjong tables had been seized from entertainment clubs, game and card rooms, and urban villages in the action against gambling that was launched this year. They were being used by gambling organizers to earn profits, according to Pan Xiaoguang, a section chief of the Longgang District Public Security Sub-bureau.

Police handled a total of 179 gambling cases and punished 1,210 gamblers over the past six months.

In some urban villages, some convenience store owners would organize gambling and charge fees. On March 2, police caught 28 gamblers in two separate stores and criminally detained three organizers.

So far this year, gambling has also led to another 300 cases, such as fighting, picking trouble, family and economic disputes, theft, fraud, scandal and blackmail, in Longgang District.