Foshan Municipal Public Security Bureau launched an environmental crime investigation section on Wednesday, the first unit specifically aimed at environmental crime in Guangdong province, according to Southern Metropolis Daily on Thursday.

Environmental issues used to be investigated by the environment protection department, but it didn't have any legal right to investigate or law enforcement power.

Now the Public Security Bureau has set up a special team for it.

As it didn't have legal powers, the department faced obstacles by companies while carrying out investigation and even when it presented evidence of rule-breaking by firms. The only recourse available to them was to hand over the case to the Public Security Bureau if they suspected criminal wrongdoing, a process that delayed their case.

The new unit will regularly monitor companies for any breach of environmental rules.

Jiang Kaixin, chief of Foshan Municipal Public Security Bureau, said: "Anyone can report any environmental crime by calling the police hotline 110, or by sending an email to the website or by leaving a message on our official Weibo account."

"Our new section will carry out severe crackdown on companies suspected of environmental crimes," he added.