Around 500 held in China telecom scam

Beijing, May 24 (IANS) A total of 482 people have been arrested on suspicion of their involvement in a major transnational telecom scam in China, the government said Thursday.

Among the suspects, 177 are from China, 286 from Taiwan, and 19 from Thailand and Myanmar, Xinhua reported citing the ministry of public security.

They are suspected of having stolen more than 73 million yuan ($11.5 million) in 510 cases of telecom fraud, all of which occurred in China, the ministry said.

The suspects worked throughout China and Taiwan, as well as in Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Cambodia, Sri Lanka and Fiji.

The ministry launched the investigation in November 2011. Earlier in May, the ministry sent six groups of Chinese police officers to the six other countries to investigate.

The gang was busted Wednesday in coordination with the police forces of the six countries.