An economic crime suspect surnamed Zhang (left) is seen with police officers at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport on Tuesday.

The Ministry of Public Security announced Friday that the Fox Hunt task force successfully extradited a major economic crime suspect named Zhang from Thailand to China on Tuesday night. He was allegedly involved in organizing and running pyramid schemes.

It is the first time that Thailand has extradited an economic crime suspect to China since the China-Thailand extradition treaty came into force in 1999, the ministry said.

According to the ministry, the MBI group led by the suspect Zhang had been engaged in illegal pyramid schemes since 2012. The group issued virtual digital currencies and demanded that participants pay fees ranging from 700 yuan ($98) to 245,000 yuan for platform membership. High discounts were used as bait, and the number of developed members and the invested funds were used as the basis for compensation or discounts.

The group now has more than 10 million members and has raised more than 100 billion yuan in funds.

Fugitive Malaysian businessman and founder of MBI Group Tedy Teow was extradited from Thailand to China on Tuesday, according to Thai media.

China’s Ministry of Public Security said the Chongqing Municipal Public Security Bureau launched an investigation into Zhang in November 2020, and China’s Interpol National Central Bureau issued a red notice against him in March 2021.

On July 21, 2022, Thai police arrested Zhang, after which China requested his extradition from Thailand based on the bilateral extradition treaty.

On May 21 of this year, the Thai Court of Appeals issued a final ruling to extradite Zhang to China. On August 14, the Thai authorities issued an administrative decision supporting the court’s final ruling.

An official from the Fox Hunt Office of China’s Ministry of Public Security said Zhang’s successful extradition shows the Chinese government’s determination and will to defend the rights of citizens and uphold the dignity of the law.

This extradition is a major achievement in law enforcement and judicial cooperation between China and Thailand, and marks a milestone in deepening law enforcement and judicial cooperation between the two countries. It is also expected to serve as a positive example for future extradition cooperation between China and other countries, the official said.

Since 2014, the ministry has launched the annual Fox Hunt operation, targeting economic crime suspects who have fled abroad. This year’s operation began in April, with public security organs across the country tasked with intensifying efforts in high-profile cases and expanding channels for law enforcement cooperation.

Between 2014 and April this year, the Fox Hunt operation has arrested and handed over about 9,000 economic crime suspects from more than 120 countries and regions to China, recovering about 49 billion yuan in assets and losses.

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