Chongqing justice chief held in drive against rampant triad crime

The top justice official of triad-plagued Chongqing municipality has been detained and put under investigation for alleged links with organised crime gangs, China News Service reported yesterday.

Wen Qiang, director of the Chongqing Justice Bureau and former deputy police chief of the municipality, was placed under shuanggui - a form of extra-legal detention punishment for officials of the Communist Party. Mainland media said Mr Wen was suspected of involvement in local triad activities.

The shocking allegation against the man who effectively controlled Chongqing's police force came months after the municipality's party boss Bo Xilai declared war on rampant organised crime gangs in the booming central municipality, home to more than 30 million people.

Mr Wen, 54, is a native Chongqing resident and had been a top leader in the city's police force since 1992 - at a time when Chongqing was still under the administration of Sichuan province. He wielded great influence in the local police force and built an extensive network of contacts among business and public figures.

But he was often reported as linked to triad leaders, and law and order deteriorated under his tenure.

Caijing magazine yesterday cited a Chongqing official as saying that Mr Wen had strong connections with local businessman Li Qiang, who was arrested on June 21 for organised crime activities. 'His fall is just a matter of time,' the official said.