Stats are in for the major cases of COVID wrongdoing so far this year. While previously it was inadequate implementation of prevention and control or a relaxed mentality which led to disciplinary action, the 2022 range of epidemic-related crime is decidedly more sinister.
As alert readers who had an eye on events at Nanjing Lukou International Airport exactly a year ago will know, the penalties for obstruction of, or inadequate, prevention and control of infectious diseases are pretty harsh.
关注过一年前南京禄口国际机场事件的细心读者都知道，对妨碍或不充分传染病防控的处罚是相当严厉的。
The Airport’s Chairman and four other high-ranking airport officials were sacked or disciplined, while at least 15 other Nanjing government officials also received penalties after that which was then the worst COVID outbreak since Wuhan.
机场董事长和其他四名机场高级官员被免职或受到纪律处分，而其他至少 15 名南京市政府官员也受到处罚，这是当时自武汉以来最严重的新冠疫情爆发。
That was then. Today, the types of epidemic-related crimes have changed greatly. Yesterday, 20 July, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate released data for the principal cases handled by national procuratorial organs from the first half of this year. The data released shows a rapid growth in the number of crimes of smuggling of both goods and people, illegal border crossings, and obstructing the prevention and control of infectious diseases.
就是那时。如今，涉疫犯罪类型发生了较大变化。昨天7月20日，最高人民检察院公布了今年上半年全国检察机关办理的重点案件数据。公布的数据显示，走私货物、人员、非法出境、妨害传染病防治等犯罪案件数量快速增长。
You read correctly; people smuggling.
你读得正确；人口走私。
Procuratorial organs nationwide prosecuted a total of 1,316 people for 708 epidemic-related crimes between 1 January and 30 June, 2022. Provinces with the largest number of prosecutions include Guangdong, Guangxi, Fujian, Henan, Yunnan and Zhejiang. In Guangxi, which borders on Vietnam; and Yunnan, bordering on Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar, the top epidemic-related crimes were the smuggling of both goods and people, and the obstruction of national border management.
2022年1月1日至6月30日，全国检察机关共起诉涉疫情犯罪708起，1316人。起诉数量最多的省份包括广东、广西、福建、河南、云南、浙江。在与越南接壤的广西；与越南、老挝和缅甸接壤的云南省，与疫情相关的首要犯罪是走私货物和人员以及妨碍国家边境管理。
According to the change in the trend of epidemic-related crimes this year, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate has also issued three batches of 16 typical cases, with the latest on 5 June. The cases involved disrupting people’s livelihood and the material security of epidemic prevention and control, disrupting the order of the market economy, and the pursuit of “epidemic wealth”.
根据今年以来涉疫情犯罪走势的变化，最高人民检察院还发布了三批共16起典型案件，最新一次发布于6月5日。案件涉及扰乱疫情防控民生和物质保障、扰乱市场经济秩序、追求“疫富”等。
By publishing typical cases, the Procuratorate not only guides procuratorial organs in all regions to handle cases correctly, but also forms a deterrent to potential crimes. In addition, it promotes the awareness, vigilance and prevention of epidemic-related crimes among society as a whole.
检察院通过公布典型案件，既指导各地检察机关正确办理案件，又对潜在犯罪形成震慑。同时，提高全社会对疫情犯罪的认识、警惕和防范。
According to a report by The Paper, procuratorial organs across the country will resolutely and quickly punish illegal and criminal acts that seriously impede the order of epidemic prevention, or that seriously endanger citizens’ lives and health.
澎湃新闻报道称，全国检察机关对严重扰乱防疫秩序、严重危害公民生命健康的违法犯罪行为，将坚决从快查处。
Interpol states, “People smuggling is closely tied to the use of fraudulent travel documents and is linked to other crimes such as illicit money flows, corruption, terrorism, trafficking in illicit goods and human trafficking”.
国际刑警组织指出，“人口走私与使用伪造旅行证件密切相关，并与非法资金流动、腐败、恐怖主义、非法货物贩运和人口贩运等其他犯罪行为有关”。
