China's Ministry of Public Security (MPS) has issued top-level orders for the arrest of 10 people at large who were suspected to be involved in the abduction and trafficking of children and women.

The police are soliciting clues from the public and will give rewards as high as 50,000 yuan (US$7,475) to citizens whose tips help in arresting the suspects, according to a statement published on Monday on the MPS website.

The MPS issued orders for the arrest of 20 people-trafficking suspects in April and June 2009, of whom 19 had been arrested.

Also on Monday, a statement from an MPS fire-prevention work conference revealed that police and fire fighting departments nationwide had found 13,486 cases of fire violations in 47,471 cases of fire safety examinations from Sept. 1 to 24.

The overhaul has led to the suspension of 747 businesses and the closure of 651 others. Another 172 people were punished for failing to observe fire safety rules, the statement said.

(Xinhua News Agency September 28, 2010)