BEIJING - China's top procuratorate has pledged intensified crackdowns on crimes related to COVID-19 vaccines, following the emergence of cases including sales of counterfeit vaccines.

As of Wednesday, procuratorial organs across the country have approved the arrests of 70 suspects involved in 21 vaccine-related criminal cases, according to the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP).

In one case revealed by the SPP, several suspects manufactured nearly 58,000 counterfeit vaccine doses by using normal saline, pocketing close to 18 million yuan ($2.8 million) from illegal sales.

The SPP has requested that procurators nationwide take resolute actions to combat vaccine-related crimes, providing legal guarantees to COVID-19 control and prevention work.