Chinese police have rescued more than 3,400 women and children since a nationwide campaign against human trafficking launched in early April, according to figures released by the Ministry of Public Security Tuesday.

Police rescued 1,352 children and 2,054 women in 2,162 human trafficking cases as of Aug. 3. They also broke up 525 criminal gangs and detained 824 suspects, the ministry said.

The ministry has issued a most-wanted list for 20 major suspects involved in the abduction of women and children. Fifteen of them have been arrested, it said.

Most of these crimes occurred in provinces including Shanxi, Anhui, Yunnan and Henan.

The nationwide crackdown lasts from April 9 to December this year.

(Xinhua News Agency August 12, 2009)