Chinese officials plan a crackdown on peddlers selling erotically themed New Year's Cards to students.

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A government circular said education departments should ask students not to purchase the cards and police should arrest those who sell them, Xinhua, the official government news agency, said.

The New Year's Festival takes place Feb. 18 this year. Many students buy cards, not necessarily erotic ones, for their friends.

"The number of card peddlers have mushroomed around some primary and middle school campuses across the country, selling poor-taste and pornographic Spring Festival cards to passing students," the circular said.

About 150 million illegal and pornographic cards were seized last year.