BEIJING - China's Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) has stressed tightened supervision over major environment-related cases.

The SPP will carry out special supervision focusing on air and water pollution from January 2017 to December 2018 in heavily polluted areas including the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei region, the Yangtze River Delta, the three northeastern provinces and the Yangtze River valley.

From March 2015 to December 2016, 3,868 environment-related criminal cases involving 4,982 suspects were transferred to police by administrative agencies upon suggestions from procuratorates.

During the same period, procuratorates at all levels also supervised public security organs in investigating 4,853 people suspected of damaging the environment and resources, and transferred 171 cases of duty-related crimes involving 246 officials.

The SPP alone or in cooperation with the Ministry of Public Security and the Ministry of Environmental Protection directed the handling 62 major environmental violation cases during the period.