An alleged mafia kingpin in east China's Shandong Province had so much of a hold over local police that he decided which officers received promotion.

The full extent of the influence of Nie Lei, 44 , said to be leader of the biggest mafia-style gang in Qingdao City, are emerging after he and more than 130 alleged members were arrested last month, China Youth Daily reported yesterday.

Nie is said to have called the shots in promotions in the local police force, ensuring that officers who protected his interests moved up the ranks.

Nie's influence was so great that he was dubbed "minister of organization" by officers, the newspaper said.

Following Nie's arrest, 14 police officers, including two district chiefs, were detained on suspicion of protecting the massive criminal network.

It is claimed Nie selected ambitious and malleable frontline officers and used money and connections to pave the way for their promotion.

He once paid 300,000 yuan (US$ 47,171) to move a police officer to a director-level position because several bars and clubs owned by Nie fell within his jurisdiction, according to the report.

Wang Xiaoqing, former vice captain of Qingdao SWAT team, is among the 14 officers detained.

It is said Wang would accompany Nie's gang on crimes. The gang would monitor police operations on Wang's walkie talkie and ensure they were gone before officers arrived.

Another official, Chen Peng, who was once honored as one of Qingdao's Top 10 Outstanding People for his performance, was also detained.

Nie started several real estate companies in Qingdao, and between 2000 and 2010 used these as a front to force women into prostitution and operate underground casinos, according to the report.

One notorious incident said to be linked to Nie's gang occurred on Mar 27, when heavies clashed with staff at the Crown Plaza Qingdao hotel. A manager had two fingers cut off in the fight, the newspaper said.

Nie and the others arrested are said to have been involved in more than 20 types of crime.

These include assault, operating prostitution and gambling businesses, drug dealing and trading, and illegally owning guns and ammunition.

More than 260 police officers participated in the crackdown and traveled to 17 provinces and cities, including Shanghai, to track down and investigate the suspects.

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