International cooperation helps Guangdong snare fugitives

Police in Guangdong province have detained 53 economic fugitives in the past six months with help from counterparts in Brazil, Myanmar, Vietnam and New Zealand.

The suspects, who had all fled abroad, were wanted in connection with crimes involving a total of 27.7 billion yuan ($4.15 billion), Huang Peifu, political commissar of the Guangdong Public Security Department's economic crimes unit, said on Thursday.

"We're retrieved more than 90 million yuan since the fugitives were repatriated for investigation and possible prosecution," he said. "Some fugitives handed over the bribes they received in return for leniency."

Guangdong has so far repatriated more economic fugitives than any other province, municipality or autonomous region this year, he said.

Huang pledged that the province would continue to expand cooperation with counterparts overseas to find Chinese fugitives.

"Guangdong has a large number of fugitives who have fled abroad. Most are hiding in Hong Kong or Macao, Southeast Asia, the United States, Canada, Australia or New Zealand," he said.

The suspects are mainly accused of fraud, illegal fundraising, accepting bribes and misusing public funds, he said, adding that police have offered rewards for information on their whereabouts.