Over 35,000 gang-related fugitives surrender themselves in China

BEIJING -- A total of 35,474 fugitives suspected of gang and organized crime turned themselves in during China's nationwide crackdown campaign, authorities said Monday.

A pursuit operation against suspects involved in gang crime will be launched to promote the campaign, said Chen Yixin, a senior official with the Commission for Political and Legal Affairs of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and head of the national office against organized crime, at a televised conference.

A statement urging fugitives to surrender for leniency was jointly released Monday by the Supreme People's Court, the Supreme People's Procuratorate, the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Justice.

Suspects who turn themselves in to the authorities before Jan. 31, 2020 and confess to their crimes will be eligible for lesser punishments, the statement said.

A total of 4,713 suspects of gang crime are still on the run.