Chinese police have arrested 360 suspects for their involvement in enticing deaf-mutes to engage in robbery or burglary, the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) said on Tuesday.

Police in 21 provincial regions have uprooted 61 such criminal gangs and rescued 70 deaf-mute people during a recent joint campaign, according to a statement released by the MPS.

The suspects deceived the students from deaf-mute schools via social networks on the pretext of offering job opportunities or going traveling, when in fact the purpose of the approach was to force them to commit crimes such as robbery or burglary, the statement said.

Yang Erdu, a most-wanted suspect, together with other prime suspects, was captured by police during the campaign, according to the statement.

China issued an action plan for fighting human trafficking (2013-2020) last week, urging greater measures to crack down on abduction-related crimes and appropriately relocate the victims of human trafficking.