BEIJING - A total of 343 suspects were detained for allegedly stealing railway property and cargo over the past two months, said China's railway police here Monday.

In a national campaign that started in December, police have disrupted 37 criminal organizations involved in stealing railway property such as wires and components of tracks as well as onboard cargo, said a statement from the railway police headquarters.

These activities have seriously threatened railway operations and the safety of passengers, the statement said.

China has just gone through a very busy festival transport season. The country's railways carried 31.3 million passengers during the week-long Spring Festival holiday from January 22 to 28.

To ensure the security of trains, police had stepped up patrols along key railway sections and monitoring on private recycling stations along the railway lines where thieves could dispose of loot.