Two Chinese officials in charge of economic crime investigations are suspected of graft during investigations into an economic crime case, China's Ministry of Public Security confirmed to Xinhua Monday.

Zheng Shaodong, who served as assistant minister of public security and director of the economic criminal investigation bureau, and Xiang Huaizhu, the bureau's deputy director, are under detention for allegedly taking bribes during an investigation into the case of electrical appliance tycoon Huang Guangyu.

"We will never tolerate the problems that occur inside our team, and we hope people and the public will continue to supervise our work to end corruption here," said an official with the ministry who refused to give his name.

China has been stepping up its crackdown on corruption in recent years, with high-level investigations into officials. Beijing's former vice mayor Liu Zhihua was recently given the death penalty with a two-year reprieve for taking bribes.

(Xinhua News Agency January 21, 2009)