MOSCOW, January 19 (RIA Novosti) - Chinese police arrested over 1,150 people suspected of disclosing and illegally dealing personal information in a major crackdown earlier in the week, Xinhua news agency reported on Saturday.

The agency said citing the Ministry of Public Security that law enforcers in 21 provincial regions, including Beijing and Hubei, united after gathering ample evidence and on January 14 clamped down on the groups suspected of the illegal personal data trade.

“Police busted 346 groups that engaged in telecommunications scams, kidnapping, blackmail and other crimes after illegally obtaining personal information,” the agency reported citing the ministry.

The ministry added that the issue of stealing personal information in China turned into an acute problem in recent years and people involved in such crimes already formed a network for illegal trading of personal data.