Thirteen police officers have been detained in Sichuan province for taking bribes from pickpockets to allow them to ply their trade at Chengdu railway station, state media reports say.
Quoting local police sources, the Beijing Youth Daily reported that a further 20 to 30 railway station police were also being investigated for their alleged involvement in the scam.
The Ministry of Railways launched an investigation into the racket in February.
Of the 13 officers detained, seven have been officially arrested and their cases will be handed to the prosecutor's office for judicial proceedings to be launched. The remaining six are still being detained and questioned.
The report said pickpockets had paid several hundred yuan to police officers guarding the station in return for being allowed to operate in the waiting areas of the railway station.
Even if they were caught red-handed, the payment guaranteed that they would be released as soon as their victims had left the police station.
