Binjiang Police Affairs

"What do you mean 'everything in one nest'? That's just beating around the bush!"

"Director He, have a cigarette, don't take it to heart."

"Is it really such a big deal to solve a few cases? If they're so capable, then let them stop funding us, do not pay our salaries! If they dare, why don't they take down the security department's sign and replace it with a police department's sign!"

Returning to the branch, Director He could no longer control himself.

Political Commissioner Jiang lit a cigarette for him and said with a wry smile, "Times have changed, the Port Authority is different from other state-owned enterprises. Even if our Changhang Bureau wasn't here, they still wouldn't be able to turn the security department into a police department."

"That's true, even without us, there's still the Port District Bureau."

Director He took several heavy puffs of the cigarette and sat down with a sigh, "The Changhang Police Bureau is easy to deal with, it's mainly the City Bureau. Today we just got commended, and now they're assigning us new crackdown tasks. If next month is the same, I'm too embarrassed to attend meetings."

The City Bureau is not just targeting Changhang Bureau, it's targeting everyone!

The superiors are not very satisfied with the progress of the crackdown in Binjiang, the city leaders are furious, and Director Chen is also having a hard time.

It is said that police officers from the City Bureau have been assigned crackdown tasks. As long as you wear a uniform, you're busily looking for clues all over the world. If the task is not completed, not only will the bonus be deducted but even the salary may be cut.

Every month there is a comparison. The district county police departments are the first echelon; the police department that solves the most cases and captures the most criminals will be commended. The last one will be criticized by name and even have to stand up and self-criticize during the meeting.

If ranked last for two consecutive times, that police chief is done; the City Committee and City Bureau will not hesitate to replace them.

The various branches of the City Bureau are the second echelon, and there is competition between them.

Traffic police are now solving cases, and even though not very professional, they have many people and can collect clues since they are on the streets every day. Teams like Political Security and Internal Security have a hard time and can only ask for help from the district county police departments to complete their tasks.

Changhang Bureau and the Water Police Station belong to the third echelon. It's bad enough that these struggling brothers compete with each other, but also get outdone by a group of security guards from the Port Authority. What kind of situation is this?

Thinking of the internal competition within the Changhang Police System – which branch solves more cases, which branch solves fewer – even the immediate superiors also keep their own accounts. Political Commissioner Jiang sighed lightly, "Binjiang's potential has been fully tapped out. If we don't want to be publicly criticized, we can only count on Salted Fish now."

"Any progress on Salted Fish's side?"

"They're watching us, and as soon as there's any movement, Chen Xiangyang will know quickly. So, I didn't dare to go to Bailong Port and only made a phone call to ask."

"What did Salted Fish say?"

"He has a few clues, but needs assistance from brother branches, and the funds are not enough."

"Which branch does he need help from?"

"The situation on the river is different from the shore; river crimes are transient. We need assistance from the Guzhou Branch, Zhenjiang Branch, and Jiangcheng Branch."

"Jiangcheng Branch is easy, tell him to go directly to Director Zhang. We'll help him coordinate with Guzhou Branch and Zhenjiang Branch."

"What about the funds?"

Director He looked up and asked, "How much money does he need?"

Political Commissioner Jiang hesitated, then said helplessly, "He says that recently the money's been flowing like water, the funds from Bailong Port Police Station have been spent long ago, and the two thousand sent over by Xiao Ma from the Water Police Station have also been used up. He's even started to use the funds from the Port Supervision Bureau Third Team, and they need at least forty to fifty thousand."

The Port Authority only provides the bureau with basic salaries, there are no bonuses, let alone case handling funds.

The branch does have some money in its account, but those funds are for building new ships.

Director He was silent for a moment, confused, "How many people are there, how can they spend so much money?"

"There are quite a few people now, the station has five policemen, four from the Water Police Station, Jia Yongqiang, and six trainees that Xiao Yu recently brought back – in total, seventeen people."

Political Commissioner Jiang paused, then added, "They are not handling cases at home, they have to go out on the run. One group has already gone to Hui'an. As soon as you step out the door, you have to spend money – travel costs, phone bills, accommodation fees; it adds up quickly."

An old saying goes: The provisions must be arranged before troops and horses are moved.

Salted Fish has been running a strict crackdown operation in Bailong Port. Knowing the tight funds of the branch, it's already been nearly half a month without asking for money.

After weighing his options, Director He clenched his fists and said, "Get finance to prepare fifty thousand in cash. After you get off work, deliver it, and also cheer the comrades up."

"I called in the afternoon, he was out, and only Han Ning and Old Jia were left in Bailong Port."

"Then give the money to them."

"Okay."

...

The Economic Police Team, in order to deal with the Changhang Bureau, mobilized the Port Authority's staff and workers. Han Yu's water crackdown also needed to mobilize the masses.

With the help of Manager Jiang from Linghai Shipping Company and Captain Fan, the crew of the Linghai Shipping Company became the "informants" of the Bailong Port Water Strike Command!

The Port Supervision Bureau's several port patrol teams, the Water Rescue Center, and even the Ship Inspection Department are all helping to keep an eye on things. The Fishery Administration Team, which just fought the eel catching battle, is also paying attention.

The Water Police Station mobilized police officers to engage the public from various units along the jurisdiction's shoreline. Countless police and public contact cards have been issued, and notices urging various types of criminals to turn themselves in are everywhere.

The two phones in the Dunship Second Floor Command and Control Room were ringing non-stop, Old Jia and Han Ning, not on duty at the passenger terminal in the afternoon, were busily sorting out clues, contacting the outside teams to hurry and verify. Han Xiangning and Jin Weiguo actually became operators, specifically helping to answer calls.

"Director Li, this is Xiang Ning. Really? This information is very important. Don't let them dismantle it yet. It's already dismantled? Then have them stop for now. I'll call Salted Fish right away to have a look. Okay, thank you."

"Ningning, who called, what's the urgent matter?" Han Ning put down his work and came over to ask.

Han Xiangning didn't stop to take notes, while dialing his junior's number, he explained, "Our Ship Inspection Department's Director Li and his team were going to inspect a ship in the No. 4 anchorage. When they passed by Changyu Shipbuilding Factory, they found that the workers were dismantling a ship."

"Dismantling ships is quite normal; when they are scrapped, they have to be dismantled."

"Dismantling ships is normal, but the one that is being dismantled right now is not quite right."

Han Ning asked in a low voice, "What's not normal about it?"

Han Xiangning urgently said: "The condition of the ship seems good, it doesn't look like it's meant to be scrapped at all. Director Li is both the head of the ship inspection department and a ship inspector; others may miss the mark, but he would never make such a mistake!"

Having been born and raised on a ship herself, Han Ning was very aware that unless a ship was truly beyond use, an owner would never decide to sell it to a shipyard for dismantling as scrap.

Just as she recognized the importance of this information, Han Xiangning had already gotten through to Han Yu on the phone, hurriedly informing him about the situation the ship inspection department had inadvertently discovered.

Han Yu was greatly shocked and quickly said, "I'm not far from there, I'll head over right now."

"There are many ships over there, take it slow."

"I know, Captain Fan is very familiar with the waterway in that area."

Without asking further questions of the crew anchored on the river, Han Yu immediately had Captain Fan set sail, rushing with Zhang Ping to the Changyu Shipbuilding Factory, not far from Lingda Car Ferry.

This was a small ship factory built on the river beach. Lacking advanced shipbuilding technology and financial strength, it didn't even have a proper ship dock. Since no shipowners approached them for ship construction, they mainly repaired small cargo ships and dismantled scrapped ones.

Under the guidance of the shipyard's manager, they arrived at the easternmost side of the shipyard, and to their surprise, they found a cargo ship of about 1,000 tons that didn't appear to be old, with its wheelhouse already dismantled.

Climbing up the gangplank to inspect the ship, it was indeed in good condition; it wasn't more than ten years old, well-preserved against corrosion, and it was clear that the anti-rust paint had been freshly reapplied not too long ago.

Who would scrap a ship less than ten years after it was built, and who would do anti-corrosion work before scrapping it?

Han Yu returned to the shore and, looking at the dismantled main engine, lifted his head and asked, "Boss Qian, how much did you pay for this ship?"

"Two hundred thousand."

"Do you have the certificate?"

"Yes, I wouldn't dare to take it without a ship registration certificate."

"Let me see it."

"It's in the office, Captain Han, please this way."

Arriving at the ship factory office, Han Yu took the ship registration certificate and the sales contract that Boss Qian found and examined them carefully.

Boss Qian, who wasn't initially worried, suddenly felt uneasy when the police showed up with such a serious demeanor, and said with a bitter smile, "Captain Han, I operate within the law; I've never thought about doing anything illicit. If I wanted to go down that route, I wouldn't dismantle it – I'd just refurbish it and sell it off as a new ship; people would buy it."

From the registry, the ship came from Zhehai, and its age was listed as twenty years.

But just like a person's age, a ship's age can be seen; in other words, this set of certification was very likely forged.

Han Yu put down the certificate and picked up the sale and purchase agreement, asking, "This Zhao Xijiu who sold you the ship, did you know him from before?"

"I didn't know him, it was our first transaction."

"How old did he look, and what did he look like?"

"He looked to be in his early thirties, tall and thin, with a rather long face and a side parting."

"What kind of accent did he have?"

This was a question that many might not be able to answer.

But Boss Qian was not like other people; he had long been repairing ships by the river, dealing with crew members from all over the country every day, and knew a little about various accents. He answered without hesitation, "Judging by the accent, he should be from around the Zhehai Jianfu area."

"Is this signature his?"

"Yes."

"Do you have a photocopy of his ID card?"

"No, I didn't ask for it, you don't need ID for dealing with old ships."

"Did you see his ID card?"

"I glanced at it, but without seeing it, I wouldn't dare to buy because after all, it's a big ship."

"How did the ship get here?"

"They drove it over. Two people came; there was also someone who seemed to have the surname Tang, not old, but I don't know his name."

As they were talking, Xiao Gong ran over and said urgently, "Director Yu, look closely, the paint on the ship's name and number is different in color from the rest of the ship's body!"

"Got it, check it again."

"Yes!"

Realizing there was a problem with the ship, Boss Qian cautiously asked, "Captain Han, do you suspect this ship's origins are not legitimate?"

Han Yu put down the sale and purchase agreement, opened his briefcase, took out paper and pen, and looked up to ask, "Boss Qian, you've seen hundreds if not a thousand ships; do you think there's a problem with this ship?"

Boss Qian was stumped and immediately broke out in a cold sweat.

"Let's make a record first. Please answer my questions truthfully."

"Alright, ask away."