A Chinese fugitive was arrested in Thailand over an alleged extortion plot in his home country.

Chu, 49, allegedly blackmailed a Chinese firm executive out of 22 million yuan (2,348,027 GBP) in 2023 before fleeing to Thailand.

Thai police said they stepped up investigations after Chinese authorities sought help to extradite him.

They learned that Chu was staying at a 'well-known' hotel in a Chinese-populated area in Bangkok.

Undercover officers surveilled the establishment on January 7 before swooping in on Chu as he was entering the building. They checked his passport and hauled him to the Immigration Bureau Division 3 upon confirming his identity.

Police Major General Songprod Sirisukha, commander of Immigration Division 3, said: ‘We informed him that his visa has been revoked before taking him into police custody for further legal action.'

Immigration police said Chu had worked at a Chinese investment firm in 2023, and allegedly tricked the chief executive into using a nominee during the company's Initial Public Offering.

He then allegedly blackmailed the CEO into paying 22 million yuan of hush money before slipping into Thailand.

The Immigration Bureau said: 'This operation is the result of using immigration information technology as a tool to assist officers in their work, along with crucial information from citizens reporting.

'This led to the successful arrest of a major transnational criminal who had fled his home country and was hiding in Thailand.'

(1 GBP = 9.37 CNY)