Guangzhou police announce breakthrough in 'Meiyi' case

 

Police in Guangzhou in China's Guangdong province announced a major breakthrough in a decade-old human trafficking investigation on Saturday with the arrest of a woman surnamed Xie on suspicion of being the fugitive "Meiyi."

The arrest could represent a significant milestone in the "Zhang Weiping child trafficking case," which has drawn intense public scrutiny for years. "Meiyi" (Aunt Mei), whose true identity had long remained a mystery, is accused of acting as the primary intermediary in the sale of abducted children.

Between September 2003 and December 2005, several children were reported kidnapped in areas including Zengcheng in Guangzhou and Boluo in Huizhou, Guangdong. Following the abductions, the Ministry of Public Security and the Guangdong Provincial Public Security Department designated the case a top priority, forming a joint task force across provincial, municipal and district levels.