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)