SHANGHAI - Police in Shanghai have detained a foreign couple who were suspectedly involved in operating illegal research companies and trafficking personal information, police sources said on Monday.

Peter William Humphrey, a 57-year old British national, and Yu Ying Zeng, 60, who was an American and identified as Peter's wife, have been arrested by police on Aug 16, according to the police.

Investigation found that the couple illegally trafficked a huge amount of personal information on Chinese citizens to seek profits via registering so-called research companies in Hong Kong and Shanghai since 2003.

Among the 500 investigative reports seized by police, more than ten were found to have infringed on Chinese citizens' right of privacy, police said.

The personal information traded by the couple included residence addresses, family members, exit-entry information and real estate, according to police.

The couple have confessed to their criminal facts and apologized to the Chinese government, police said.

Police in Shanghai have arrested 126 people for illegal personal information trafficking and solved more than 140 related cases in the first 10 days of August.