(Yicai Global) Aug. 21 -- The Public Security Bureau of Nanjing, in China's southwestern Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region has uncovered a pyramid sales case involving CNY1.519 billion (approximately USD227 million) and over 8,000 people, it reported at a press briefing.

The Economic Crime Investigation Division of Nanning Public Security Bureau received a tip that a crime gang, led by Northeast China natives Li and Wang, was suspected of plying an illegal Ponzi scheme last year, gxnews.com.cn reported.

Police discovered that the gang's 'management' mainly hailed from the three provinces that make up Northeast China -- Heilongjiang, Liaoning and Jilin, as well as Shandong province -- and featured many people and transactions and large sums.

An orchestrated police operation was in full swing at 6.00 a.m. on May 1, targeting 230 dens in Nanning urban areas to arrest the miscreants and take out their strongholds. Six teams were deployed to Fangchenggang city to execute the arrests, with 368 suspected pyramid sellers arrested: 82 'managers,' 249 key members and 37 junior staff.

Li Wenxing, a graduate of Northeastern University, who was misled by a job offer into joining the pyramid selling group, was found dead by drowning July 14, thus focusing the public's attention on the problem.