BEIJING - Chinese police have retrieved 887 million yuan ($140 million) so far during a special campaign against illegal fundraising, the Ministry of Public Security said on Thursday.

The crackdown is focused on fraudulent fundraising, illegal appropriation of public deposits, illegal business operations, loan sharking, fraudulent loans, as well as violence and gang-related crime resulting from illegal fundraising, the ministry said.

During the action, nationwide police solved "a large bunch" of cases that involved more than 7.3 billion yuan, the ministry said.

The ministry vowed to mobilize more police and deepen the crackdown, while encouraging the public to report illegal fundraising cases.