129 Chinese telecom fraud suspects brought back from Armenia

BEIJING -- Chinese police have brought 129 telecom fraud suspects back from Armenia, the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) announced on Wednesday.

The suspects include 51 from the Chinese mainland and 78 from Taiwan. They are suspected of involvement in fraud cases in over 10 provincial-level regions on the Chinese mainland.

Armenian law enforcement detected suspicious activity by the suspects this year and reported their findings to Chinese police.

The suspects were seized when local law enforcement raided six dens on Aug 20, said the MPS, adding that a large amount of equipment including computers and smart phones were found on site.

The MPS dispatched a working team to Armenia to deal with the case on Aug 26.

An investigation found that members of the Armenia-based syndicate had been falsely presenting themselves as law enforcement officials to cheat people on the Chinese mainland through telephone calls. They were found to have defrauded people in more than 50 cases, conning them out of more than 7 million yuan ($1.2 million).

As all victims involved are on the Chinese mainland, the 129 suspects were brought back to the mainland to facilitate further investigation and ensure justice, the MPS said.

The MPS has designated police from Guangdong Province to investigate the case.

Mainland police have also informed Taiwan authorities of the cases according to relevant agreements between the two sides.

Telecom fraud has caused serious harm, said the MPS, vowing to continue the fight against the scams.

Public Security Minister Guo Shengkun on Tuesday urged efforts to enhance public awareness of such crimes and firmly curb telecom fraud to protect people's legitimate rights and interests.