A bizarre adult breastfeeding ring has been smashed in China with 15 people arrested for selling the services of young mums.

The gang were exposed in a joint operation with police forces from Beijing, Hebei, Hubei and Jiangxi after a newspaper sting in which a reporter responded to a website offering men the chance to breastfeed online.

The crooks allegedly hired mothers with newborn babies to breastfeed adults and, according to the newspaper report, the women fed their babies powdered milk to concentrate on selling breast milk for business.

The Ministry of Public Security co-ordinated police to break up two gangs involved in the business.

More than 200 people from across the country paid for the breastfeeding and prostitution services advertised on websites, according to police who launched a probe after the Beijing News expose.

The paper said there were several websites that offered to provide young mothers to breast feed adults for a fee.

Charges were discussed on instant messaging apps and photographs of mothers were provided for customers to choose who they wanted to be “fed” by.

The Beijing News said one website had been active since last year and men were encouraged to sign up for a subscription service that allowed them regular access to the breasts of the woman of their choice.

Customers had to pay £7 a week to become a member and have access to the lactating women. They then went along to “milk bars” and paid the woman direct to be “fed”.

An undercover reporter at the newspaper arranged to be breastfed for £103 and was told he could also have sex for £155.

A woman involved in the fetish service said they provided for two types of customer: those who simply wanted to be breastfeed – the “clean service” – and those who wanted something more, which was advertised as the “dirty service”.

The woman the reporter met said that mothers would only get regular customers if they offered sex.

A 23-year-old mother said one website offered a weekly service costing £4,150 a month for breastfeeding and £5,187 with sex.

•Credit (except headline): Daily Mirror of London. Photo shows some of the suspects.

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