The Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) announced here that in the past five years 6,205 malfeasant officials nationwide were investigated and punished for their illegal activities.

The ascertained crime led to about 598 million yuan (79.7 million U.S. dollars) worth of economic loss, the Procuratorial Daily reported on Monday.

Among all the malfeasant officials who were investigated from 2003 to October 2007, the newspaper said, 3,790, or 61.1 percent, were from the law enforcement. Their illegal activities ranged from practicing favoritism, forging legal documents, hiding facts or misconducting.

Another 1,451 administrative officials were probed on their practices purposeful short taxation, improper approval of land seizure, indulgence of fake goods manufacturers or vendors. They were from industrial and commercial administrations, taxation offices, customs, land administrations, environmental protection agencies, inspection and quarantine organs, and medical and drug regulation bodies, the newspaper said.

A leading official in charge of malfeasance investigation in the SPP said, "It's difficult to define the boundaries between minor misconduct and malfeasance-leading crime."

(Xinhua News Agency, December 10, 2007)