Old Luo didn’t keep the cigarettes for himself either. He took them out and distributed them to everyone, leaving the remaining half-pack on the table, sliding it towards Lu Chuan.

“What should we do if we don’t hand it over? We don’t have the authority to follow up on the case.”

Yang Lin smirked; that’s just how the police station is.

There are no actual conditions to handle major cases.

Not to mention homicide cases, the station lacks the capability. Even if they did, they don’t have the manpower, resources, or financial backing to investigate.

So the case can only be handed over. The police station usually just helps maintain order or, at most, assists with inquiries.

If the case is solved, there’s not much credit. If it’s not solved, sorry, any unsolved homicide in the area would surely affect the year-end bonus.

If there are two unsolved homicide cases, forget about the bonus entirely.

With three of them…

The head of the station should consider resigning.

For other major cases, most suspects are unlikely to conveniently live locally.

Police stations have their own jurisdiction, and crossing boundaries brings up issues of law enforcement authority.

So police stations often handle small theft cases.

The difficulty in solving these is not small, and there’s not much merit in it.

This makes it extremely tough for regular officers to earn accolades in a grassroots police station.

“What if we don’t hand it over? Forget about going abroad to handle cases; even if you go to the neighboring Friendship Road, they have their own police station there too.”

What Old Luo said was true. Not just them, if someone from next door comes to handle a case, they must inform them.

If they solve the case, at least half of the credit has to be shared.

“Should we hand it over to Customs or the Criminal Investigation Team?”

This case is part of a smuggling investigation. According to jurisdiction, Customs has specialized public security agencies to investigate smuggling.

Like the Customs Anti-smuggling Bureau, which specializes in this.

However, apart from the Customs Anti-smuggling Bureau, local public security agencies also have jurisdiction to handle such cases.

Though typically, they are less involved.

“Of course, hand it over to the team. Chen Wen has been arrested, and there are over a dozen people at Pine Forest Villa; capturing them is a merit-making task.”

Old Luo pointed at Lu Chuan: “Furthermore, Lu played a significant role in bringing the case to its current stage.”

“We are unfamiliar with Customs over there; I don’t recommend giving it to them.”

Huang Jianmin nodded: “If we must hand it over, it should definitely go to the team. Let me make a call first to check.”

Huang Jianmin didn’t mention that the Huaguang Street police station is under the High-tech Zone Public Security Bureau; in fact, the bureau at that level could also handle this case.

But as Old Luo said, the leads in the case were discovered by Lu Chuan, and it was Lu Chuan’s fingerprint identification that pinned down Chen Wen.

Judging both emotionally and logically, handing it over to the Criminal Investigation Team seems more reasonable.

In Huang Jianmin’s office.

“Alright, Director, the case will be handed over to the Criminal Investigation Team. Yes…rest assured, I’ll make arrangements immediately!”

After hanging up the phone, the bureau’s thinking aligned perfectly with Huang Jianmin’s.

The Customs Anti-smuggling Bureau isn’t incapable of taking on the case.

But like Huang Jianmin considered, the main contributor to the case was Lu Chuan, and he is part of the Criminal Investigation Team.

Moreover, part of the case has already been solved; even if the source isn’t entirely cut off, credit is still due.

“The case will be handed over to the Criminal Investigation Team. I’ll go make the report.”

After returning to the meeting room, Huang Jianmin made the decision.

“Keep an eye on the villa, don’t alert the target. Zhang Baoku is Chen Wen’s pawn. Chen Wen and the other party only communicate via livestream, so arresting these two doesn’t have much impact.”

Indeed, the person directing Chen Wen also contacts him via livestream.

This is why Huang Jianmin didn’t directly act against the people in the villa.

Since the villa is an ivory processing point, where do the finished products ultimately go?

Chen Wen is just a link in providing raw materials, using his antique shop as a front to evade supervision.

The important one is the southerner renting in the villa area.

“Lu, let’s go to the team, and I’ll report to Captain Qin in person.”

“Sure.”

Criminal Investigation Team, Qin Yong’s office.

“Smuggling case?”

Qin Yong was slightly taken aback. The Criminal Investigation Team had dealt with smuggling cases before, but not often.

The Economic Investigation side handles more of these, along with the Customs Anti-smuggling Bureau.

But such cases are still quite welcomed.

Smuggling cases usually involve significant amounts, and are not particularly dangerous.

At least, it’s much better than handling murder or corpse disposal cases.

Huang Jianmin nodded confidently: “It was Lu yesterday at our station, who broke an electric bike theft case. We found that the suspect was staying at Pine Forest Villa, which seemed suspicious, so we followed up and discovered the case.”

Huang Jianmin didn’t mention the electric bike was his. That would imply his incompetence.

A dignified police station chief having his bike stolen in his jurisdiction…

What a joke.

Qin Yong looked at Lu Chuan, smiling.

A capable person can excel anywhere.

Look, even patrolling on the ground level, they can find clues to a smuggling case.

“So, the team will lead on the case, forming a special task force. How about two people from Huaguang Street join in?”

A special task force?

Joining two people?

Huang Jianmin was delighted, laughing: “Thank you, Captain Qin. I’ll head back to arrange it, ensuring proper coordination with the task force!”

Huang Jianmin had thought once the case was handed over, it would have nothing to do with him.

Unexpectedly, there were still spots in the special task force.

Working with the team makes it easier to achieve results, possibly earning credits too.

Regarding personnel choice, it was straightforward – Old Luo and Yang Lin, who’ve been following the case, were the best options.

“Lu, why don’t you join the task force that Zhang Hui is leading?”

“Following orders!”

For Lu, there was, of course, no problem. Whatever the leaders instruct, he would do.

The so-called task force consisted of four people in total.

Zhang Hui, Lu Chuan, Yang Lin, and Old Luo.

“Brother Zhang, these are Old Luo and Yang Lin from Huaguang Street Police Station, my classmate.”

Lu introduced Yang Lin and Old Luo.

“No need to introduce Old Luo; we already know each other.”

Zhang Hui had been working for quite some time and was familiar with most of the people below.

“Hello, Yang Lin. I’m Zhang Hui. From now on, we’ll be comrades.”

“Hello, Brother Zhang.”

Compared to Old Luo’s calmness, Yang Lin was quite excited.

Yang Lin, having been in the police force for half a year, was participating in a task force for the first time.

Such an organization, other than the ones seen in TV dramas, was something Yang Lin had only heard Lu mention a few times.

After all, for an electric bike theft, there was really no need for a task force.

Just like Lu, Zhang Hui was a key figure being groomed in the team.

Under Qin Yong’s leadership in recent years, the Criminal Investigation Team’s case-solving rate had always been high.

Among the five action groups, Group One and Group Two were responsible for major cases.

Zhang Hui was the most outstanding young detective in Group Two, being groomed as a potential successor to Ren Qiang.

“No need to be formal. Let’s first study the case.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep