Director Yang of the Linghai Water Resources Bureau suddenly felt a strong sense of superiority and pride, and couldn't help but laugh: "Captain Huang, your information is outdated. The days when Fishery Administration was beaten are like an old almanac. At least in the past five or six years, I haven't heard of any Fishery Administration agents being assaulted while enforcing the law on the river."

"Really?"

"If you don't believe me, you can call Binjiang Fishery Station and ask."

Director Yang extinguished his cigarette and explained: "In recent years, when Binjiang Fishery Station and East Sea District Fishery Administration Bureau Binjiang Station went to the river to crack down on illegal eel fry fishing, they have been assisted by the Water Police Division, Changhang Navigation Police Branch, and our Linghai Police Bureau. Whoever dares to violently resist the law, we will catch them as soon as we find them!"

Comrade Old Huang was skeptical and muttered, "The police may assist the Fishery Administration but it's not certain they'll help us with Water Administration. We've never interacted with them before."

"Captain Huang, I have just reported this matter to Director Liao with Master Chen. As long as your brigade is willing to check the river, I can guarantee that the Water Police Division, Changhang Navigation Police Branch, Binjiang Port Supervision Bureau, and our Linghai Police Bureau will support you fully."

Director Yang made a grand gesture and then suddenly changed the subject: "If your brigade is not interested, then after Master Chen and I return, we will apply to the City Committee and Municipal Government to establish a Water Administration enforcement team. The only issue is that there might not be enough time, and even if the Water Administration inspection team is established, they can only crack down on sand mining in our Linghai Section."

Water Administration supervision and enforcement is exclusive to Binjiang Water Resources Bureau for the entire Binjiang area, no other branches exist.

Comrade Old Huang realized that if he didn't act, the lower levels of district and county would step in, and he couldn't help but ask, "Director Yang, will the police and Port Supervision really help us?"

"Captain Huang, you've often inspected our Linghai, do you remember Xu Sanye from the Linghai Police Bureau?"

"I remember. Xu Sanye used to be in charge of Linghai Police Bureau. When you Linghai built river dykes and sea dykes, we would inspect, and each time, I'd see him on the dyke."

"Xu Sanye had an apprentice named Salted Fish, who has been in charge of security along the riverside and on the river for years. Initially, he worked at the Yanjiang Police Station of our Linghai Police Bureau, then he was seconded to the Water Police Division. Later, he served as the Deputy Division Commander in the Changhang Bureau for two years, and now he has returned to the Linghai Police Bureau as the head of the Development Zone Branch."

Director Yang smiled and continued: "He was the one who discovered people over-mining sand on the river. Our Secretary Ye and Mayor Qian are taking it very seriously and have instructed him to assist us fully in the crackdown, while also requiring our Water Resources Bureau to ensure the safety of the river embankments."

Old Huang had a lasting impression of the formidable Xu Sanye from the Linghai Police Bureau. He subconsciously asked, "What is Xu Sanye in charge of now?"

"Xu Sanye passed away several years ago, he died of bone cancer."

"Xu Sanye is dead!"

"Mhm."

"He was not old, he was quite young when he managed the work of the Linghai Police Bureau, younger than me by quite a few years."

"Good people don't live long, Captain Huang, let's not dwell on Xu Sanye, let's discuss official matters."

"Alright."

Regaining his composure, Comrade Old Huang flipped through the regulatory documents and said, "With police and Port Supervision assistance, we can enforce the law. The current problem is how to enforce it. It seems there are no specific penalty rules regarding sand mining."

Master Chen, on his way to Binjiang, had already studied this matter and looked up: "The province and city probably considered that the Yangtze River is mainly governed by the Changhang Bureau and the Yangtze River Water Resources Commission, indeed there are no specific penalty regulations for unauthorized sand mining on the river, but we are not without laws to rely on."

"What regulations can we refer to?"

"It's not about referring, we can use them directly."

Master Chen took the document from Comrade Old Huang and turned to the second page: "The River Management Regulations of the People's Republic of China clearly state that for anyone who extracts sand, excavates soil, pans for gold, disposes of sand, gravel, or mud, blasts or drills without permission, or not in compliance with the regulations of the river management authorities within the river management area.

The river management authorities at or above the county level of the People's Government can correct the illegal activities and take remedial measures, and can concurrently impose warnings, fines, and confiscate the proceeds of illegal activities; if administrative security penalties should be imposed, they shall be punished under the People's Republic of China Public Security Punishment Regulations; and if a crime is constituted, criminal responsibility shall be pursued in accordance with the law!"

During the journey, Director Yang also studied the laws and regulations and remarked with a smile, "Vice Director Liao, our Jiangnan Province's River Management Regulations also have relevant provisions."

Vice Director Liao nodded slightly.

Director Teng from the Legal Affairs Department then said, "Director Yang, Master Chen, these two regulations are too general. What's the use of a warning? Will those sand miners heed our warning? As for fines, how much to fine without a standard or detailed punishment rules? The confiscation of illegal gains does have some deterrent effect, but it's not that easy to achieve."

"With police assistance, confiscating illegal gains won't be that difficult."

"Director Yang, the police have their tasks. They could assist us once or twice, but they can't assist us every day."

"Don't worry about that, Salted Fish said he will assist us to the end just as he has assisted Fishery Administration in protecting the fishery resources of the Yangtze River. He and his master have been assisting in the fight against illegal fishing of eel fry since '88 and have never stopped."

"Doesn't he have other tasks?"

"No, although he is the head of the Development Zone Branch, he only deals with matters along the river and on the river."

As soon as Director Yang finished speaking, Comrade Old Huang frowned again and said: "Although confiscating illegal gains will offend some, as long as we have police support we can continue with the work. The problem is that even if we confiscate the illegal profits from those sand mining bosses, it's hard to solve the issue at its root."

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