The 22 were held in north China's Hebei province as part of an alleged network that produced and sold milk tainted with melamine, an industrial chemical used to make plastic, Xinhua, China (OTCBB:XHUA)'s state-run news agency reported Monday.

Police officers raiding 41 pastures, farms and milk purchasing facilities reportedly found evidence of melamine production. Two suspects allegedly confessed to adulterating milk with melamine to boost the protein count when the milk was tested, Xinhua reported.

Several Chinese babies have died and tens of thousands have been sickened and hospitalized because of the contaminated milk products, Xinhua reported.