Guangzhou police detain 450 suspects over theft of personal data

Police in Guangzhou, capital of South China's Guangdong province, have detained a total of 450 suspects since June in a special operation, code-named Anwang-7, after busting criminal gangs allegedly stealing personal data of local residents.

More than 790 computers and mobile phones, in addition to 230 million pieces of personal data, were seized in 120 cases involving the stealing of personal information, according to Dai Zili, political commissar of the internet police with Guangdong Provincial Department of Public Security.

Police in Zhongshan detained five suspects, all bank clerks, after busting a criminal gang that stole and illegally sold personal data.

The suspected gang leader, surnamed Zheng, admitted to selling pieces of personal data for between 50 yuan and 140 yuan ($7 - $21) to local fraud gangs. Zheng said he had earned more than 150,000 yuan since the gang began stealing and illegally selling personal data in August 2015.

"Anwang-7, which was launched to fight the illegal obtaining of personal data in Guangdong's 21 prefecture-level cities, has dealt a heavy blow to those involved in such activities in Guangdong," Dai told a news conference on Monday.

Police will continue to crack down on those stealing and illegally selling personal data, which is a serious crime in China, he said.

With the personal data they illegally gained, some of the criminal gangs organized telephone fraud and kidnappings as well as demanding payment of debts from creditors.

Dai hinted that more special operations would be launched to fight the crime in the coming months.