Police have broken up a Europe-wide child trafficking ring involving mostly Bulgarian children trained in petty crime.
Italian police led the operation, arresting 41 Bulgarian nationals in Italy, Bulgaria, Austria, and Germany.
Investigators said Monday impoverished Bulgarian families sold more than 100 children to the traffickers who then smuggled them across Europe to carry out such petty crimes as picking pockets.
The investigators said the suspects shared some of the stolen money with the parents.
Police also said some of the children were sexually abused.
Some information for this report provided by AP.