The suspects, who have also been fired from their posts, worked at correspondent offices for four national newspapers based in Beijing, according to the SAPP.

Among the reported offenses, the China Food Quality News established an office in Sichuan Province without approval from the press authority in June 2004, the SAPP said.

Last July, the newspaper hired Wang Qiming, an ex-convict, as vice director of the illegal outpost, authorities said.

Wang allegedly threatened to run a bogus news story charging the Jingyan Food Co with improper production practices unless the firm paid him 300,000 yuan (US$37,474).

In another case, Meng Huaihu, head of the Zhejiang Province office of the China Business Times, reportedly signed a contract with the newspaper to generate 400,000 yuan worth of advertising revenue.

Meng allegedly extorted 350,000 yuan from the Zhejiang Petroleum Co, offering to withhold negative publicity after a car owner complained about problems with the company's fuel.

The SAPP handed down unspecified administrative punishments to both newspapers.

In the other cases, Bu Jun, deputy director of the Zhejiang Province office of the Economic Daily's rural edition, allegedly extorted 18,000 yuan from two construction company employees and took 40,000 yuan from two villagers.

And Chen Jinliang, then deputy head of the Henan Province bureau of China Industry News, reportdly demanded 20,000 yuan from Guangshan County Construction Bureau under the threat of running a story charging corruption.