Chinese police had confiscated more than 6 million pirated publications by the end of August as part of a 100-day crackdown on piracy, according to the Ministry of Public Security on Sunday.

Local police had raided more than 32,000 publication markets and distribution companies, and closed down 355 companies engaged in bulk business of illegal copies, said a report by the ministry.

Starting from July 25, the campaign was said to be unprecedented in terms of its duration and number of government departments involved.

Copyright officials were a major force in the fight. But cases involving particularly large amount of pirated goods would be handed over to police. But the ministry didn't give handover criteria.

Police were said to have cracked 780 cases. Three hideouts with more than 286,000 illegal CDs and DVDs were demolished in Fuyang City, east China's Anhui Province.

More than 20,000 pirated books were seized in a print house in Liaocheng City, east China's Shandong Province.

Police in east China's Jiangsu Province also stamped out a criminal gang who had set up a provincial sales network, seizing 21 suspects and more than 200,000 CDs and DVDs.

Source: Xinhua