China shuts down 7,600 illegal websites

BEIJING - Chinese police said Wednesday that over 7,600 websites or Internet channels have been shut down in a national crackdown on Internet-related crimes since August.

During the campaign, over 642,000 pieces of illegal information on sales of firearms, explosives, drugs, fake certificates and citizens' personal information have been removed, according to a statement issued Wednesday by the Ministry of Public Security.

Over 1,600 Internet service providers have also been punished, according to the statement, which added that police put 53 key cases under investigation.

The campaign was first launched in March amidst rampant Internet crime, and police said they had arrested more than 19,000 suspects by mid-August.