A smuggling operation involving 3.8 million pornographic
videodisks, the largest such haul uncovered in China, is expected
to go before the Guangzhou Municipal Intermediate People's Court
soon.
The total number of discs involved in the case, 6.2 million,
accounted for one-third of the smuggled discs intercepted between
1994 and 2002, according to a Xinhua News Agency report.
The pirated discs were found stashed in four warehouses in
Guangzhou, the capital of south China's Guangdong Province, during
a major campaign local police started earlier this month to crack
down on illegal publications.
The Guangzhou Municipal Procuratorate recently completed
preparations for the hearing of Chen Songbo, the main suspect, and
15 co-accused, at the Guangzhou Municipal Intermediate People's
Court.
Between August 2001 and March last year, Chen and his gang
allegedly smuggled 3.8 million pornographic videodisks worth 0.68
yuan (US$0.08) each and an additional 7.5 million erotic discs
worth 0.71 yuan (US$0.09) each from overseas.
Charges claim that Chen made 350,000 yuan (US$42,000) by selling
about 5 million discs nationwide through a network. He first came
to the attention of police in March last year.
The network was uncovered earlier this month. It allegedly spans
the cities of Beijing, Shanghai and Shenyang, Anhui Province, and
the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.
Chen's wife, Ma Chanzhen, and his two brothers were allegedly
involved in the smuggling racket. Chen's wife was reportedly
responsible for sending and receiving order faxes and collecting
money.
Li Guangchen, one of Chen's brothers, was allegedly in charge of
a distribution warehouse where the discs were stored after being
smuggled from abroad.
(China Daily March 17, 2004)