Police in north-east China have uncovered an attempt to smuggle out 82 illegal emigrants by sea, state media said yesterday.
Police in Liaoning province, acting on a tip, stopped two buses packed with the potential stowaways as they headed towards the port city of Dalian on July 19th, the China Daily said.
The newspaper said the human trafficking operation was the biggest uncovered in the province.
It was unclear where the people were attempting to travel, the newspaper said.
Police have also concluded a three-month campaign against human trafficking in Fujian, which resulted in the arrests of 109 suspects, the newspaper said.
China said it has stepped up international co-operation in combating illegal immigration after the grisly deaths of 58 Chinese stowaways inside an airtight tomato truck discovered in the British port of Dover last month.