BOGOTA (AFP) - Colombia smashed a sex-trafficking ring with links to China, arresting 11 people in simultaneous raids across the South American country, police said on Saturday (Nov 21).

Investigators from Colombia worked with Interpol and conducted operations in the cities of Bogota, Medellin and Armenia, arresting criminals responsible for trafficking, conspiracy and money laundering, said a source.

In the capital Bogota, four people were captured for being brokers of air tickets and visas to China, police said.

In Medellin, police arrested a man and a woman who went by the alias "Dayana." She was wanted by Interpol for sexual exploitation and was the head of the trafficking ring.

In Armenia, another five people were picked up by police as part of the trafficking network, which exploited disadvantaged women to become sex workers.