It has been revealed that a corrupt transport official from southwest China's Yunnan Province, who fled to Singapore after police discovered he abused his position to take more than 40 million yuan (US$5.2 million) in bribes, was captured in Singapore on February 18, a local official said yesterday.

Hu Xing, former deputy director of the Yunnan Provincial Transport Department, was also accused of taking advantage of his post to help his relatives profit from business activities, keeping a mistress, having "unlawful sexual relationships" with other women, and escaping abroad, said Guo Yongdong, deputy secretary of the Commission for Discipline Inspection of the Yunnan Provincial CPC (Communist Party of China) Committee.

Hu disappeared in January while local authorities were investigating a major economic crime, in which he was suspected of involvement, Guo said.

Hu, born in October 1958, had served as deputy director of the provincial transport department since November 2004, and previously served as vice mayor of Kunming, capital of Yunnan.

His responsibilities in the provincial government mainly concerned roads and transportation, and he was in charge of city planning and construction during his term as vice mayor.

After his capture, Hu was expelled from the CPC and removed from his post on April 24, Guo said.

"The case has been transferred to judicial authorities because Hu is a criminal suspect," Guo added.

(Xinhua News Agency April 29, 2007)