From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishcrackdowncrack‧down /ˈkrækdaʊn/ noun [countable usually singular] STRICTaction that is taken to deal more strictly with crime, a problem, protests etccrackdown on/against a military crackdown on pro-democracy demonstrations the government’s crackdown against drugs → crack down at crack1
Examples from the Corpus
crackdown• Angry bakers who believe organised gangs are responsible yesterday called for a crackdown on the thefts.• They promised a crackdown on crime, but crime has doubled.• The argument of all crackdown law is that it applies special, draconian measures to tackle some heinous crime.• And Phoenix police are looking at crackdowns in areas with high rates of violence and gun-related incidents.• They claimed to be victims of political persecution following the military crackdown on student protesters.• At least nine people have died in bomb attacks launched by the cartels since President Barco ordered the crackdown on the cocaine traffickers.• He has success fully steered the Mafia through a seven-year crackdown.crackdown on/against• Missing are neighborhood and business associations: two groups that pushed hard during the former administration for a crackdown on nuisance crimes.• On Nov. 18 in a crackdown on corruption the government banned the heads of state structures from commercial activities.• Vowing a crackdown on juvenile crime, California Gov.• Some analysts claimed that Zhu's promotion was the first gain for moderates since the army crackdown on the 1989 pro-democracy movement.• Police call for crackdown on young thugs.• Microsoft Corp. has filed suit against a Houston computer manufacturer as part of a nationwide crackdown on software piracy.• But even that is better than many other counties ... and officers are confident their successful crackdown on crime will continue. 