The bill for a few snacks and cups of tea came to 7,455 yuan (US$964.75).

 

Even for an upmarket strip like the Bund, that seemed a tad expensive to three French visitors to Shanghai.

 

And thus began a police investigation that uncovered a "sting" targeting foreigners, allegedly orchestrated by a tea house employing young women to patrol the streets and lure customers to the premises.

 

Police in Huangpu District in Shanghai raided the tea house at 12:30 AM on July 13 and detained three men and three women.

 

One of the women has been identified as a migrant, Bai Yunhong, 22, a manager of tea house Taihe, on the 12th floor of the New Huangpu Finance Building on Nanjing Road E.

 

The three Frenchmen stuck with the 7,455-yuan tab told police they met five Chinese women while strolling around the Bund. At first the women practiced their English-language skills with them, saying they were provincial university students.

 

The men were beguiled by the women and accepted their invitation for Taihe tea.

 

After an hour at the tea house, sharing snacks and several cups of tea, the huge bill arrived.

 

The men said they refused to pay, but caved in as they were "threatened" by a woman. That woman was named by police on July 13 as Bai.

 

"The woman said if we didn't pay the bill, we would get into trouble," said one of the French victims, from Concarneau, a fishing port in Brittany.

 

"I told her we did not have such a large amount of cash with us, and she urged us to withdraw the money from an ATM downstairs, saying we could not leave if we didn't pay."

 

He said the tea house did not provide a receipt after being paid, and the Chinese women disappeared soon after they left the premises together.

 

Two of the Frenchmen went back to the tea house with undercover police to identify suspects.

 

The six people were detained by the police after an hour of questioning. More than 7,000 yuan in cash was seized, and the tea house closed.

 

The suspects told police Taihe began to operate on June 18, and the five women -- now being hunted by officers -- were hired as "tea agents."

 

Police said Chinese customers who tried to enter the premises were driven out by waiters and foreigners without a "tea agent" were discouraged.

 

"The tea house had a Chinese sign near the door which said it was not open as renovations were in progress," said Zhao Qi, an official with the Public Security Bureau in Huangpu District.

 

A man, surnamed Wang, who works in the New Huangpu Finance Building, told police there was another tea house, named Yaoyuan, on the 15th floor of the building that seemed suspicious.

 

Police planned to raid the Yaoyuan on July 13, but it has closed for business.

 

Officers are now investigating whether the Yaoyuan and Taihe are owned in the same interests.

 

Foreigners have been told to beware of "over-friendly" people who speak English and invite them to various establishments.

 

The advice from officers is simple: Don't go, and report the matter to police.

 

(Shanghai Daily July 16, 2007)