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A chartered flight transporting 92 criminal suspects involved in telecommunications fraud landed at Zhengzhou Xinzheng International Airport on September 11, 2023. Photo: Li Hao/GT

China's Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuratorate, and the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) jointly issued a notice on Friday to crack down on cross-border telecommunications fraud. The notice emphasized that providing venues for cross-border telecommunications fraud under the guise of "industrial parks" and controlling criminal gangs should be treated as criminal groups.

According to the MPS, current cross-border telecommunications network fraud presents new challenges, including highly organized and clearly divided fraud groups. Moreover, there are fewer scattered fraud groups overseas, replaced by large-scale gambling fraud parks, China Central Television (CCTV) reported.

Fraudulent groups also use new technologies and formats such as virtual currency and artificial intelligence to continuously update their criminal tools. Additionally, their fraudulent methods are rapidly innovating, possessing strong deceptive characteristics. These developments present fresh obstacles to the judicial prosecution and prevention of transnational telecommunications fraud.

Therefore, the notice explicitly outlined four crucial areas of punishment, with the primary focus being on holding accountable the criminal groups' organizers, planners, leaders, and key members in accordance with the law. Additionally, groups that offer refuge to those involved in cross-border telecommunications fraud will also be specifically targeted for enforcement actions.

Furthermore, the notice specified that criminal organizations engaging in heinous acts such as intentional homicide, intentional injury, kidnapping, rape, forced prostitution, and illegal detention will face severe punishment. According to the notice, the crackdown will also target those involved in organizing and facilitating illegal border crossings for individuals participating in cross-border telecommunications fraud.

The notice also proposed approaches in relation to judicial cases. For example, regarding transnational telecommunications fraud and other criminal organizations operating under the guise of "industrial parks" or "development zones" in overseas areas, the notice clearly stipulated that managing and controlling criminal groups through providing criminal venues to carry out transnational telecommunications fraud, extortion, and other criminal activities should be identified as criminal groups and be punished.

The notice emphasized the comprehensive strengthening of asset recovery. Relevant departments should conduct comprehensive investigations and reviews of the financial status of criminal groups and their members involved in cross-border telecommunications fraud, extortion, and other crimes, and lawfully seize and freeze funds, real estate, vehicles, precious metals, and other assets involved in the case.

Since last year, the MPS, together with a host of other departments, have carried out special operations, focusing on capturing and repatriating tens of thousands of overseas fraudsters, forming a strong deterrent, said the CCTV report. The public security organs will continue to vigorously combat overseas telecommunications fraud and other illicit activities, as well as prosecute domestic collaborators in strict accordance with the law, so as to protect the public's fundamental rights and interests.

Global Times