BEIJING, Feb. 17 -- Chinese police have captured 501 suspects and busted 73 gangs during a crackdown on prostitution, the Ministry of Public Security said on Monday.

More than 1,300 cases of organizing, luring or introducing sex services have been uncovered by police, and 2,410 locations involved in pornography have had their businesses shut, the ministry said.

The large-scale crackdown came hours after a China Central Television (CCTV) program on Feb. 9 revealed that hotels in the southern city of Dongguan were offering sex services.

Sex trade is illegal in China.