Police in China have stepped up their campaign against prostitution by setting up an online special task force to take down prostitution rings and investigate reported online promotion of prostitution, which has reportedly been proliferating through social media in certain parts of Guangdong province.

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Peng Hui, deputy director-general of the Guangdong Department of Public Security, said prostitution organizers and operators have switched to online advertisements to promote their trade after police clamped down on local entertainment venues in the past months.

Chinese authorities said operators of prostitution rings have turned to paid advertisements in QQ chat rooms, WeChat, mobile text message and other instant messaging services to promote illegal activities including gambling.

Digital operations

Hui admitted that with prostitution operators going digital, the police are having a hard time tracking them down and arresting them.

At a news conference in Guangzhou on Friday, Peng said that amid these difficulties the police are facing, effective and concrete measures should be taken to fight the prostitution menace.

Peng called on the city authorities in Guangdong to set up an online task force to help expedite open and secret investigations of prostitution and gambling.

The public security official added that the police should work with banks, telecommunication companies, and other government agencies to thwart these illegal activities that have been disrupting the normal lives of the residents.

Net Oriole

Last month, the authorities launched a special campaign dubbed "Net Oriole", a 100-day campaign targeting gambling and promotion of prostitution online.

The campaign seeks to arrest and prosecute organizers and owners, gang members, key government officials, bankers and other personalities who are suspected of supporting and patronizing the illegal activities.

Winter, including the traditional Chinese Lunar New Year holiday, is usually the peak period for online prostitution and gambling in Guangdong province, which borders Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions, Peng said.

Peng called on the Guangdong residents to relay vital information to the police on these illegal activities and said all tipsters will be amply rewarded.

Arrests and prosecutions

Around 119, 710 suspects have been apprehended by the police this year alone in Guangdong  while 53,529 prostitution and gambling cases have been successfully cracked.

Last March, Shenzhen police have detained 103 suspects after taking down a prostitution and gambling ring operating online,The suspects were from 28 provinces, regions and municipalities across the mainland.

Tagsprostitution rings, online promotion of prostitution, Guangdong Province, Guangdong Department of Public security, QQ Chat rooms, Instant Messaging, digital operations, Net Oriole, China Online Prostitution, China Online Gambling