Binjiang Police Affairs

Chapter 1476: Chapter 260: Acting with Legitimate Authority!

Just as the 105th Army Special Warfare Group and the Navy Marine Corps were determined to compete against each other, Han Yu and the Criminal Investigation Branch Captain of the Changhang Bureau, Jiang Youwei, finally received a call from Liu Guixiang.

"Director Han, the suspect has been captured. I just asked him briefly, and he confessed to the crime process and fleeing in fear of punishment without any hesitation!"

"That’s great. When are you planning to return?"

"We’ll head back after lunch."

"There are four of you, plus the suspect makes five. You can all fit in one car. Be safe on your way back."

"Don’t worry, Director Han, we will be careful."

"Not only should you pay attention to traffic safety, but also ensure the suspect’s custody is secure."

"I understand."

Catching the suspect is only the preliminary success.

Next, we need to conduct further investigation, collect and secure evidence. There’s a lot of work to be done, otherwise, the case cannot be smoothly transferred to the Procuratorate for review and prosecution. Among the needed evidence, whether the overboard crew member is alive, and if deceased, whether there is a body, is undoubtedly the most direct and critical evidence.

Considering that the crew member has been missing in the water for twelve days, Han Yu didn’t dare to waste time. He immediately picked up the phone to dial the director’s mobile.

Director Qi answered the phone, understood the context, and pondered: "As long as there is a condition to search, of course, we should search. The problem is the workload is too large, and it’s not something our bureau can handle alone!"

"Director Qi, I’ll think of a way to ask for assistance from the Marine, Fishery Administration, Water Administration, and our counterparts on both shores."

"Alright, you get in touch quickly, and the Political Commissioner and I will return to the unit now."

Han Yu hung up the phone, looked up, and said: "Major General Jiang, the search operation is urgent. We need to divide the work. You are responsible for the case investigation. After all, six suspects are still locked up in the detention center. Hurry up and interrogate them again. How did the fight start? Who hit first? Every detail needs to be clarified."

"Yes!"

"Although I’m in charge of criminal investigation, I’m not adept at handling cases. I’ll handle the search for the overboard crew member."

"Thank you for your support, Director Han."

"It’s my job, no need to thank me. Go ahead and get busy."

"Alright."

Watching Major General Jiang leave, Han Yu picked up the phone again to contact his old friends one by one.

Since they are old friends, they are as familiar as can be. The phone numbers are memorized in his heart, so there’s no need to look through a phone book or check the contacts list on his phone.

The first person he contacted was his old leader and elder, Wang Wenhong.

However, Han Yu did not directly ask for help but instead pretended to complain grudgingly: "Director Wang, you are the old leader who watched me grow up. You know I oversee criminal investigations, yet you threw a hot potato at me!"

"What hot potato did I throw at you?"

"The murder case that happened in the Changzhou waters twelve days ago. Changzhou doesn’t have a port, and cases that occur in the Changzhou waters should be managed by the Water Police Station. Yet, you gave it to me."

Wang Wenhong realized the context and couldn’t help but laugh: "Salted Fish, as soon as you transferred to the Changhang Bureau, you started learning from the previous directors of your bureau? Whenever it comes to jurisdiction over public security and supervision of firefighting safety, the entire Yangtze is yours. When a tricky case happens on the river, you think about passing it off!"

It’s said that without the right skills, one shouldn’t take on certain tasks.

In this regard, the Changhang Bureau indeed falls short. Clearly lacking the capability, yet wanting everything.

Han Yu felt embarrassed and laughed sheepishly: "Director Wang, you local police are the older brothers. Also, in major criminal cases, we’ve long had an understanding that the investigation is led by the local police."

"That’s an understanding between your bureau and the City Bureau, not with our bureau. If you can’t handle it, go find Captain Wei, or go straight to Mayor Chen."

"Director Wang, no, Uncle Wang, are you leaving me helpless?"

"How could I leave you helpless? You’ve worked in the bureau before, so you should know that whenever there’s a fatal case, our bureau has to step aside. You must understand, our bureau is responsible for water security, we’re public security police, not criminal police."

Wang Wenhong chuckled and continued: "Moreover, this case has its peculiarity. Even though it happened in the Changzhou waters, the first report was made to your bureau. Also, both boats are from out of town, as are their captains and crew. It has nothing to do with us in Binjiang, so your bureau’s jurisdiction is more conducive to the investigation."

The case occurred on the river, both boats are engaged in Yangtze River transportation, and both parties involved are out-of-town crewmen. From this perspective, the Changhang Bureau indeed has indisputable jurisdiction over the case.

Han Yu wasn’t sure how to continue the conversation, but Wang Wenhong changed his tone: "Salted Fish, no more jokes. Didn’t Liu Guixiang lead a team to Yungang for the arrest? I even called Mayor Yu on behalf of Jiang Youwei, and Mayor Yu was very helpful. That suspect fleeing in fear of punishment shouldn’t be difficult to catch."

"The person has been caught, just apprehended."

"Since they’re caught, as long as everyone involved has been apprehended, proceed to handle them according to the investigation. How is this a hot potato?"

"The suspects are all caught, but there’s one victim missing, unaccounted for dead or alive."

"Oh, this indeed is a problem. What do you plan to do?"

"To search, organize forces to search, and see if we can find the body."

Wang Wenhong finally understood what Han Yu wanted to do, weighed the situation, and said: "Understood. Every year, we usually conduct one or two patrol or clearance actions along the river. We haven’t done that yet this year, so let’s use this opportunity for a blanket clearance."

The Water Police Station isn’t run by Director Wang, nor is it solely his call to make.

No matter what is done, there must be justification, especially when deploying three law enforcement vessels and a significant number of police officers, needing accountability both upwards and downwards.

Han Yu quickly responded: "Thank you, Director Wang."

"What are you talking about? If our Water Police Station encounters such a situation, wouldn’t you help your old unit?"

"Of course, I’ll help."

"That’s settled. When do you plan to take action?"

"That crew member fell overboard twelve days ago; we can’t wait any longer. I want to start searching this afternoon."

"Alright, I’ll call Luo Wenjiang and let him take charge."

...

After hanging up Director Wang’s call, contacting Director Zhou of the Ocean Fishery Bureau.

When the phone connected, Han Yu smilingly asked, "Director Zhou, it’s Han Yu. Regarding illegal fishing on the river, does your Fishery Administration Team have any forthcoming actions?"

Illegal fishing occurs on the river, but enforcement actions mainly target illegal eel fry fishing during spring warming each year.

Zhou Hong was perplexed and instinctively said, "What kind of action can there be on the river? The Yellow Sea has opened for fishing, and now even the sea has no actions."

"Are you saying the Fishery Administration Team is in rest mode?"

"Yes."

"Director Zhou, someone caught a finless porpoise in the river."

Director Zhou was stunned and asked, "Who caught the porpoise?"

Han Yu pondered what Old Qian mentioned unintentionally during dinner last night and whispered, "A shipman moored at Bailong Port hooked it while fishing for black fish using frogs. After catching it, he sold it to a restaurant in Four Factory Town. It weighed over two hundred pounds and sold for eighteen hundred yuan."

The finless porpoise, commonly known as "river pig," carries the infamous reputation of causing havoc and scaring children.

Any child who grew up by the river was always frightened by adults using "river pig," saying things like "If you misbehave, you’ll be thrown into the Yangtze River to feed the river pigs."

It is quite large, with adult finless porpoises measuring over one meter long and weighing one or two hundred kilograms.

Its head is short, almost round, with a slightly protruding forehead. The beak is short and broad, with the upper and lower jaws almost the same length. The teeth are short, and the eyes are small, resembling dolphins.

Its disposition is lively; it often swims frantically, rolling, jumping, nodding, and even spouting water.

When swimming sideways, the edge of its tail fin emerges from the water and sways side to side as it glides over the air. If startled, it moves rapidly, with most of its body above water. Only the tail slides forward in the water, occasionally leaping out half a meter high.

While swimming upright, two-thirds of its body is above the water, maintaining a vertical position. Whenever large ships sail on the river, it loves to follow them, bouncing over the waves, appearing quite charming. Those who run boats on or live by the river often see it.

Much like the otter, derogatorily called "water monkey" or "water ghost," the finless porpoise has been used for food, lamp oil, and gunpowder for thousands of years, despite its cuteness enduring a miserable existence.

Fortunately, all this is past; now it is listed as a second-class protected animal by the country!

Han Yu paused, then continued, "The finless porpoise is very timid; it shouldn’t be hooked with a frog. Frogs are too small for its liking. It prefers fish, usually weighing half a pound to three or five pounds. I suspect it wasn’t hooked; it was anchored with a large iron hook."

"Whether it was hooked or anchored is irrelevant. What matters is the finless porpoise is a nationally protected and rare animal; even if caught accidentally, it should be released immediately, not sold or consumed!"

"Exactly, catching one reduces the population by one; if we don’t protect them, they could truly become extinct."

"Can you find the shipman who caught the finless porpoise?"

"We should be able to; his ship has been moored at Bailong Port for several days, so the ship’s registration, name, and number are easy to track."

"And the restaurant that bought the finless porpoise needs investigating too!"

"No problem, I’ll have the Linghai Police Station assist with your investigation."

After expressing his stance, Han Yu swiftly changed the topic, "Director Zhou, that finless porpoise has already been caught, maybe even consumed. Whatever we do now is of no use, but it’s never too late to mend. I believe we should organize forces to thoroughly investigate the river, see if anyone is still catching finless porpoises. Even if not, we can take this opportunity to publicize and raise conservation awareness of finless porpoises and other rare animals among shipmen and riverbank residents."

Zhou Hong instinctively asked, "Organize forces to investigate?"

"Our station plans to organize a search operation for a crew member who went overboard; we can conduct a joint operation."

"You’re cunning, baiting me with this!"

"Uncle Zhou, I know you’d help with this request regardless, but I don’t want to put you in a difficult position."

Han Yu chuckled meaningfully, "I’ll arrange for personnel to accompany your enforcement officers to Four Factory. The finless porpoise weighs over two hundred pounds, its purchasing price isn’t cheap, and the dishes made from it surely won’t be cheap either. With some luck, we might seize a few dozen pounds of porpoise meat."

It’s one thing not to know, but knowing means investigating.

Moreover, catching finless porpoises rarely happens in Binjiang; thoroughly investigating one case is an achievement for the bureau.

Zhou Hong readily agreed, "No problem, I’ll call the Fishery Administration Team."

Han Yu hurriedly said, "Director Zhou, why don’t we proceed simultaneously with a joint water-land operation on the river?"

"So urgent?"

"That crew member went overboard twelve days ago and likely drowned. We’ve just arrested the suspect who pushed the crew member overboard. If we can’t find the crew member’s body, the case can’t proceed."

"Understood, I’ll call Old Wu to have him quickly contact you, follow your commands, and assist in your search!"