158 duty-related crime suspects repatriated to China
Xinhua, January 5, 2017 Adjust font size:
A total of 158 Chinese suspected of duty-related crimes, with 1.73 billion yuan (about 251.4 million U.S. dollars) involved, have been repatriated since a special operation was launched in September 2014, the Supreme People's Procuratorate (SPP) said Thursday.
The campaign targets and hunts down suspects fleeing overseas.
According to SPP official Wan Chun, a total of 41 fugitives were extradited or repatriated by procuratorates from 18 countries and regions between January and November, with assets worth about 516 million yuan recovered.
Among repatriated suspects, 40 have already been given verdicts and seven cases are being handled by courts, Wan said.
China has signed 54 judicial assistance treaties and 41 extradition treaties with relevant countries, Wan added.
The procuratorates will strive to make new achievements in fugitive repatriation and asset recovery by applying procedures on confiscating ill-gotten gains, strengthening international cooperation and making use of international treaties or conventions on bilateral or multi-lateral criminal judicial assistance.
The official said efforts to reclaim assets gained from corruption will be intensified.
"We will do our utmost to bring fugitives committing duty-related crimes to justice, and ensure corrupt officials have no place to hide overseas," Wan said. "Utmost efforts will be made to recover ill-gotten gains to prevent criminal offenders from getting the better end economically." Endi