The number of smuggling cases in Guangdong fell 10 percent last year to 7,041, an official has said.

The value of the goods involved was 2.81 billion yuan ($390 million).

Li Ronggen, vice-governor of Guangdong, said: "The reduction in the number of cases is a reflection of our increased efforts to combat smuggling over recent years."

He said provincial authorities will continue to work with their counterparts in other parts of the country to fight the illegal activity.

"Priority will be given to expanding cooperation with our neighbors Hong Kong and Macao special administrative regions," Li said.

A number of operations involving all three regions have been scheduled for the coming months, he said.

Between 2004 and last year, Guangdong handled 37,322 smuggling cases, with a total value of more than 19.94 billion yuan. More than 3,000 smugglers were detained over the period.

As well as working closely with Hong Kong and Macao, authorities in Guangdong will also boost cooperation with Fujian and Hainan provinces and the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region in the fight against smuggling, Li told an anti-smuggling work conference in Guangzhou on Monday.

Boasting the country's longest coastline, Guangdong, which is also the country's richest province, has long been a key hunting ground for smugglers, as well as a focal point for the campaign against them. Despite its recent successes, however, the province will remain vigilant, Li said.

He said the authorities will this year focus on the illegal import of frozen products, cooking oil, cars and vehicle parts.

Efforts will be concentrated around the mouth of the Pearl and the Daya and Dapeng bays, Li said.

(China Daily January 16, 2008)