The total number of forced blood donations in northwestern province of Gansu in China has increased to 10, Xinhua News agency reported on Monday.

As investigations progress on the shocking crime, authorities found out that the number of victims has escalated to ten, which included seven victims below 18 years old.

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The children were reportedly forced to donate blood every month since November 2013 until May this year by a group of seven people in Wuwei City.

Their leader, identified as a man named Huang, was believed to be a blood center deputy chief who managed Lanzhou Institute of Biological Products, one of the biggest blood product producers in the country.

The group has been known to earn over 10,700 yuan, or US$ 1,742, through illegally collecting blood from the victims.

Six members of the group have been arrested, one of whom has been declared exempted from criminal liability because he was a minor.

Blood donors in China should be 18 to 55 years of age and should be identified and background-checked prior to the bloodletting.

Donors are given 100 to 200 yuan as a 'nutrition fee' every time visit blood donating centers to donate blood.

The group's modus comprises enlisting one student to recruit his friends to pretend to be of legal age so they can donate blood.

The children, accompanied by members of the group, then present a fraudulent ID as proof that the blood donors are of legal age.

Huang then uses his power as deputy chief to enter the false information into the instituted database, in which the forced donors will pass the verification process, a police officer told Xinhua news.

The victims are compelled to cooperate because of threats that they will be physically assaulted if they refuse.

An unnamed employee from the institute stated that the children are coached to recite answers that would not provoke any suspicion during the interview portion of the verification process.

According to natives in the area, the modus have been in effect for several years and had never been investigated until now.

Tagsforced blood donation, blood donation scandal, Gansu, Xinhua News