In China, around 30,000 to 60,000 children are reported missing each year. According to the Ministry of Public Security, it’s difficult to say if these children were all involved in child trafficking cases.

This year, the police have recovered 2,000 children since the country launched a nationwide anti-trafficking campaign.

Just this week, the Ministry of Public Security posted pictures of 60 homeless children. Some of them are very young. These kids have been kidnapped, stolen or sold. Just this week, China’s state media reported that dozens of criminals were arrested for being involved in the trafficking of at least 52 babies.

Finding the parents of these kids is a challenge. The police could not find a match using the national DNA database.

Tang Weihua, a mother who lost her 5-year old son in 1999 told state-run China Daily, “Even if I can’t find my boy’s photo on the Web site today, it’s a blessing for desperate parents like us who have nearly lost hope.”

But there are some parents who are not like Tang Weihua. Sometimes the reason the parents could not be found is that it’s the parents who sold their own children.

(via CNN)