Local drug administration in central Hubei Province has smashed a case involving fake drugs sales via Internet as the country steps up efforts to crack down on online crimes.

Evidences show that a suspect surnamed Xiong gained more than 1.35 million yuan (US$200,000) by selling fake drugs he made through the Internet to more than 3,000 buyers across the country, according to a statement released Sunday by the local food and drug administration in Wuhan, capital of Hubei Province.

The case has been referred to the public security department, according to the statement.

Wang Dongdong, deputy head of the administration, said, "online sales of fake drugs was rampant in recent years and it was difficult to seize the offenders as they were usually well covered up on the Internet."

Wang suggested the public to choose legal websites to buy medicines.

On Friday, Wang Chen, head of the Information Office of the State Council, said the country would intensify crackdown on online crimes and severe punishment would be given to those using Internet to spread pornography, gamble and fraud.

According to Wang, more than 5,510 suspects were seized in the crackdown last year.

He said China would also strengthen monitoring on "harmful information" on the Internet, in a bid to block overseas harmful information from spreading in the country via the Internet and prevent "overseas hostile forces from infiltrating through the Internet."

Wang said last week that the population of netizens in China hit 404 million, among which 346 million using broadband and 233 million using mobile phones