China’s Ministry of Public Security announced it has confiscated 229bn yuan ($32.4bn) since launching a campaign against illegal cross-border gambling and related crimes earlier this year.

The campaign was first launched on Feb 28 in an attempt to cut down on certain illegal activity during the COVID-19 pandemic which the ministry said had “grown ever more rampant.”

Apart from the actual perpetrators, the MPs said that those providing guidance, technical support and assistance with gambling money payments would be the targets of the new operation.

The public security authority has arrested more than 11,500 suspects in 257 criminal cases related to cross-border gambling, including telecommunication fraud, money laundering, kidnapping, abduction, trafficking and human smuggling.

As a result of the campaign, the authority said it had removed 368 gambling platforms, 148 criminal groups and 187 underground banks since February.

According to the ministry, some casinos outside of China had recruited customers to gamble in the country, while others organised gambling abroad.

MPs warned that those who broke the law in relation to cross-border gambling would face restrictions in border entry and exit as well as penalties to their personal credit ratings.

A blacklist of gamblers and those working behind the illegal activities has been established as a result of the campaign.