The heads of a district food and drug bureau in Xi'an have been caught taking bribes from drug companies at the bureau's opening ceremony.

The State Food and Drug Administration said leaders of the Chang'an branch of the Xi'an bureau in Shaanxi Province had held a meeting during which they decided to demand the money.

The notice said those involved had been punished according to administrative and Party rules but did not give further details.

The opening ceremony took place on July 7.

"Chang'an bureau has disregarded rules of the government and the Communist Party of China," said the notice.

An investigation team consisting of members from city, provincial and central Party organs in charge of disciplinary inspection ruled the case as "severely rule-bending."

"The case is severe in nature and has produced a very bad effect on society," said the notice.

Chang'an bureau was ordered to return all bribe money and apologize to the companies who were forced to give money.

The state administration asked the country's food and drug authorities at all levels to learn from the case, referring to it as a "negative textbook example."

The CPC held two news conferences last month disclosing a set of in-Party scandals with more than 400 civil servants and eight CPC officials being punished for bribery.

The Party is now undergoing a nationwide reshuffle of leading groups at provincial, prefectural, county and township levels, which makes the scandals more eye-catching than ever.