Forty members of a gang engaged in drug trafficking and gun dealing were recently captured by police officers in Yiwu, Zhejiang Province, the Oriental Morning Post reported.

　　The arrests came as the police launched an anti-drug war coded "Early Spring Thunder." They were apprehended by some 100 officers during a raid on Wednesday evening, after more than a month's investigation, according to the Shanghai-based newspaper.

　　Of the 40 people under police custody, eight are suspected to be involved in drug trafficking, three in gun dealing, and the others are drug addicts.

　　More than 20 grams of heroin, two pistols and 20,000 yuan (US$2,409) were confiscated in the raid.

　　Starting from 8pm, the officers, divided into three teams, rushed into a downtown hotel where they found scores of wanted suspects.

　　Shu Guowu, the ringleader, was captured at midnight as he was stepping out of his car in front of a disco.

　　The 27-year-old man has used the hotel as a base from which to carry out criminal enterprises, police said.

　　He appointed seven sales people to conduct drug operations

　　The sales people acquired drugs from outside Hunan and sold them to prostitutes and other addicts, officers said.

　　The ringleader's illicit operations were highly lucrative, police said.