More than 30,000 police officers made hundreds of raids during a 12-day period that began on 3 April and ended on the 14, involving all sorts of crimes, ranging from theft and prostitution to the sale of pornographic material and loitering.
However, all but nearly 1,300 were later released after being “educated,” the state-owned China Daily reported.
The crackdown “is the fourth of its kind in less than two months in a move by police to make the city safer during the upcoming Expo,” China Daily said.
The authorities announced they were strengthening patrols in major commercial areas, transport hubs and other sites across the city to prevent possible attacks.
Experts wonder whether rights activists have also been swept up in the crackdown to stop them from meeting foreigners.
Shanghai’s World Expo will last six months. About 100 million (95 per cent Chinese) visitors are expected to visit the pavilions of a record 192 participating nations
About 200,000 visitors have already thronged (pictured) to the World Expo site today to see the first open pavilions.
For security reasons, inspectors will be on every bus on all Expo routes for security checks. X-ray scanning points have been set up at all of the 870 entrances to the 282 subway stations.