CHINA-INTERNAL: CAMPAIGN AGAINST CORRUPTION
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China's Ministry of Public Security (MPS) has set up a new agency, called the Department of Overseas Fugitives Affairs, to handle fugitives who have fled overseas. Announcing this on January 27, 2016, the Ministry of Public Security said that Operation "Fox Hunt", launched last year to hunt fugitives who had fled abroad, will continue this year. It added that 857 fugitives were brought to China from 66 countries and regions between April and the end of December. Of the 857 suspects, 366 turned themselves in to Chinese police, 477 were caught by local law enforcement officers and 14 were prosecuted in local courts.
A total of 212 suspects allegedly embezzled or took bribes of up to 10 million yuan.Fifty-eight of these suspects were allegedly linked with cases involving more than 100 million yuan ($15.2 million). The statement said 39 of the suspects had been living overseas for more than 10 years, with one of them being at large for 21 years.
The MPS and regional police sent more than 50 teams to overseas countries and regions to work with local law enforcement bodies and Chinese diplomatic missions to track down and seize the fugitives. Two suspects were sent back from the US and a total of six were returned from Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Spain and Hungary. Another 283 fugitives were captured in Southeast Asian countries including Thailand, Malaysia and Cambodia.
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