China prosecutes over 1,000 people involved in epidemic-related crimes

A total of 1,029 people have been prosecuted in China over criminal offenses related to the COVID-19 epidemic, the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) said Wednesday.

Prosecutors around the country have been involved in the investigation and evidence collection of 6,144 epidemic-related criminal offenses that concerned 8,243 people in total, the SPP said.

They intervened and handled 383 cases of causing transmission of the novel coronavirus due to refusal to take preventive measures, 895 cases of manufacturing or selling fake products, and 144 cases of illegal business operations.

Other cases intervened and handled by prosecutors included crimes such as obstructing official duties, intentional injuries, fraud, fabricating and intentionally transmitting false information and illegally hunting or killing precious or endangered wild animals, according to the SPP.