Two men who drifted a car in front of a government building in Gansu province before dawn on New Year's Day were caught after a video of their exploits went viral online.

In the video, shot and uploaded by a passer-by, a yellow sports car is seen drifting — where the driver oversteers causing a loss of traction in the rear wheels — in front of a Gansu Provincial Government building in Lanzhou.

Police detained two men, surnamed Lin and Ren, after using footage from a surveillance camera in the street to identify the car number plate.

Lin, 21, who does not have a driver's license, and Ren, 29, are currently in custody and could be charged with endangering public security by employing dangerous means.

Zhu Fangjie contributed to this story