Interpol chief Meng Hongwei vanishes on trip to China

France has opened an investigation into the disappearance of Meng Hongwei, the Chinese head of the international police agency Interpol.

His family have not heard from him since he left Interpol HQ in the French city of Lyon for a trip back to China a week ago, police sources say.

“He did not disappear in France,” a source close to the inquiry told AFP.

The South China Morning Post quoted a source as saying Mr Meng, 64, was “taken away” for questioning in China.

The Hong Kong-based newspaper added that it was not clear why he was being investigated by “discipline authorities” or where he was being held.

Chinese officials have so far made no public comments on the issue.

Mr Meng is a senior Communist Party official in China.

It was opened after Mr Meng’s wife went to police to report her husband missing.

She said she has not heard from him since his departure on 29 September.

Police sources said their investigation was into what is termed in France a “worrying disappearance”, Reuters reports.

BBC