Shenzhen police sent six teams of policemen to other parts of China to hunt for company bosses who have intentionally defaulted on employee salaries, the Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported yesterday.

The policemen have arrested one suspect so far, the paper said, but did not provide any details. Some business owners are believed to have fled the city after defaulting on large amounts of salaries.

This follows last week's eight high-profile detentions of people who were charged with deliberately withholding 7 million yuan (US$867,000) in the wages of 1,200 workers. It is believed to be the first time in China business employers were detained for defaulting on wages.

Migrant workers in the city hailed the detentions, saying the move would help ensure workers receive their pay, the paper said.

Shenzhen officials have vowed to continue cracking down on employers who default on wages in a bid to ensure all workers get their due pay prior to the Spring Festival, when most migrants are expected to return home for family reunions. Most migrants are the bread-earners of their families.

Salary defaults have forced some workers to take extreme actions, threatening social stability.

(Shenzhen Daily January 18, 2006)