Ten people have been detained for their alleged involvement in the abduction and trafficking of nine children, police in Xichuan, Henan Province said yesterday.
The children were rescued at 9:45 pm on Wednesday, following a police raid, and reunited with their parents at noon yesterday, police sources in the city of Nanyang, Henan, said.
Sun Zhouli, an officer working on the case, said eight of the nine children were abducted from Xichuan county and one from neighboring Xixia county. They were sold to buyers in Henan and Shandong provinces.
"Each child was sold for 20,000 yuan ($2,750)," Sun said.
Wang Jianmin, secretary of the Nanyang municipal commission of politics and law, said: "The gang had abducted nine children since April, all boys aged between two and eight, who they sold to rural families."
The family-run gang was headed by 55-year-old Ye Zengxi, along with his son and daughter-in-law, Wang told the Xinhua News Agency.
Also involved was Ye's brother, Ye Xiaolin, whose 12-year-old nephew was used to lure children away from their parents. Once out of sight, the children were spirited away by motorbike.
At the time of the police raid, eight of the children had already been sold to rural families, while the ninth was being held captive awaiting a buyer, Wang said.
Police sources said the interrogation of the suspects was ongoing. If found guilty, the alleged abductors could face the death penalty.
Questions:
1. How many children were abducted by the traffickers?
2. How much money were the abductors asking for each child?
3. What is the expected punishment for the offenders?
Answers:
1.9.
2.20,000 yuan ($2,750).
3.The death penalty.
（英语点津 Celene 编辑）
About the broadcaster:
Brendan is an Australian who has been involved in education and writing for over a decade. He has published most recently for the Tiger Airways Inflight magazine, The Bangkok Post, The Taipei Times and Japan's Hiroshima Outside Magazine. He holds a Masters Degree in Community Development and Management and has resided in China for over 3 years.
