Hundreds arrested as China police smash child-trafficking ring
Chinese police have busted two child-trafficking rings after a six-month nationwide investigation, rescuing 178 children and arresting 608 suspects, the country's Ministry of Public Security announced.
(CNN) Beijing - Calling it "the biggest achievement since the launch of a national campaign against human trafficking," the ministry described in detail the joint effort of police forces in ten provinces in statement posted on its official website.
A traffic accident in May in southwestern Sichuan Province unexpectedly led the authorities to a network of child-traffickers headed by man named Cai Lianchao, the ministry said.
In August, police in southeastern Fujian Province uncovered another human trafficking ring led by a woman named Chen Xiumei, according to the statement.
After gathering initial evidence on the two rings that kidnapped and sold children across China, the ministry said 5,000 police officers conducted a highly coordinated nationwide investigation for several more months before finally arresting the suspects last week.
