Mainland police have detained 46 suspects, including 10 from Taiwan, for allegedly swindling through phone services in a recent crackdown, the Ministry of Public Security said on Sunday.

About 4 million yuan in cash (585,737 U.S. dollars), five vehicles, and dozens of computers were also confiscated in the joint move by police authorities from eastern Zhejiang, southeastern Fujian and southern Guangdong Provinces.

In the move, the authorities busted 14 spots where the ring used for making phone calls and laundering money.

This was a major case of phone fraud involving members from both the Chinese mainland and Taiwan, an anonymous official with the ministry said.

Preliminary investigations showed the group was allegedly linked to 400 fraud cases in Zhejiang, which involved about 40 million yuan.

(Xinhua News Agency September 14, 2009)