China confirms detention of Interpol Chief, Hongwei

China has confirmed it is holding the missing head of Interpol, Meng Hongwei.

Beijing said he was under investigation by the country’s anti-corruption body for unspecified breaches of the law.

Mr Meng, who is also listed as a vice-minister of public security in China, was reported missing after travelling from the city of Lyon in France, where Interpol is based, to China.

His family had not heard from him since he left Interpol headquarters on 25 September.

China’s National Supervision Commission, which handles corruption cases involving public servants, said Mr Meng was under investigation in a statement on its website.

Mr Meng is the latest high-profile disappearance in China, where a number of top government officials, billionaires and even an A-list celebrity have vanished in recent months.

Earlier this week, actress Fan Bingbing, who disappeared in China in July, emerged with a public apology and a fine of 883 million yuan ($129m; £98.9m) for tax evasion and other offences.