But he said fighting drugs and related crime remains a tough, long-term task, with traffickers from home and abroad intent of making Guangdong — which borders Hong Kong and Macao — into a major drug transfer station and distribution center.

To this end, Lin hinted that more targeted campaigns would be launched in the months to come.

In nine operations from Dec 24 to June 5, police in Foshan, Shenzhen, Dongguan, Shanwei and Jieyang busted a major cross-border drug gang, detaining 39 suspects, including 16 Vietnamese and a Taiwan resident, and seizing 4.79 kilograms of crystal methamphetamine.

Four replica guns and 44 rounds of ammunition were also seized during the operations.