Chinese police in the central Henan Province have broken up a
gang trafficking in children, detaining 10 suspects accused in the
serial abduction of nine children.
Police had found all of the children by 9:45 p.m. on Wednesday,
according to sources with the police in Nanyang City, Henan.
"The gang members had abducted nine children, all boys between
two and eight years old, since April, and sold them to rural
families," said Wang Jianmin, Nanyang Municipal Commission of
Politics and Law secretary.
He told Xinhua the family gang was led by Ye Zengxi, 55, his son
and daughter-in-law. Also involved was Ye's brother Ye Xiaolin. The
gang used Ye's 12-year-old nephew to lure other children away from
their parents' view with toys or food, and then whisked them away
by motorbike.
Sun Zhouli, a police officer on the case, said eight of the nine
children were abducted from Xichuan County. The other came from
neighboring Xixia County.
Eight of the children were sold to rural families who wanted
boys, while another was held captive awaiting a buyer before the
police rescue.
(Xinhua News Agency January 3, 2008)