Police have busted more than 210 gangs and detained 8,700 people after they were found to have been involved in online crimes, a statement from China's ministry of public security said Tuesday.

 

More than 4,100 internet-related fraud cases have been solved and 150 million  yuan ($24.50 million) in economic losses has been recovered since the ministry launched a campaign against online crimes in June, Xinhua reported citing the ministry.

 

 Last month, police from 13 provincial- and municipal-level regions busted 42 gangs and arrested 140 people allegedly involved in an online video fraud in China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, according to the ministry.

 

 The suspects allegedly stole contact details of users to log into QQ, a popular instant messaging programme, and record fake video chats that they used to defraud their victims' relatives and friends, according to the statement.

 

 Several vehicles, computers and mobile phones used to commit the crimes were seized by police.