Beijing confirmed on Wednesday Interpol had issued a “red notice” seeking the arrest of Guo Wengui, a tycoon who claimed to have evidence of corruption at the top of the Communist Party.
The comments from foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang confirmed reports by the South China Morning Post that the notice was issued at Beijing’s request. Lu did not give details of Guo’s alleged crimes.
Sources briefed on the notice told the Post Guo, who has close ties to disgraced former state security vice-minister Ma Jian, was suspected of bribing Ma with 60 million yuan. Ma is under investigation for corruption.
Guo left the mainland in December 2013 and had been wanted by Chinese prosecutors since April 2014, a source with knowledge of the case said.
An Interpol red notice is a request to locate and provisionally arrest an individual pending extradition, according to the Interpol website. It is not an international arrest warrant.