The Nigeria Police Force has apprehended and repatriated a Chinese national, Chen Gaochong, who had been wanted for tax fraud involving approximately five million Chinese Yuan.
Gaochong was arrested in Lagos during a covert operation coordinated by the INTERPOL National Central Bureau (NCB) in Abuja, in close collaboration with Chinese law enforcement authorities.
He was subsequently handed over to officials from the People’s Republic of China to face prosecution in accordance with Chinese law, following established protocols for international law enforcement cooperation and extradition procedures.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, disclosed that the fugitive had been declared wanted by the Peixian Public Security Bureau in Jiangsu Province for “fraudulently issuing 45 special Value Added Tax invoices totalling RMB 4,974,400 between May and August 2017.”
Adejobi explained that the fraudulent activities were conducted under the guise of legitimate business transactions and involved the unauthorized use of two Chinese companies—Linhai Guangyong Plastic Products Co., Ltd. and Linhai Beilaisi Plastic Products Co., Ltd.
According to him, “Following the discovery of his criminal activities, Chen Gaochong fled Mainland China on 16th November 2019 through the Shenzhen Bay port to Hong Kong, and later escaped to Burkina Faso before illegally entering Nigeria in 2021.
“He deliberately avoided renewing his international passport in an attempt to conceal his identity and evade arrest. An arrest warrant was subsequently issued by the Peixian Public Security Bureau on 9th July 2020 for his detention on suspicion of tax-related offences.
“The Nigeria Police launched a targeted intelligence operation, which led to the fugitive’s eventual arrest and extradition.
“Upon receipt of a formal request for assistance from Chinese authorities, INTERPOL NCB Abuja commenced covert intelligence operations, leading to the successful tracing and arrest of the fugitive in Lagos on Tuesday, June 24, 2025. In the spirit of international law enforcement cooperation and mutual legal assistance, Mr. Chen Gaochong was repatriated and formally handed over to Chinese authorities on Thursday, July 3, 2025.
“The Force remains committed to upholding global standards in transnational crime prevention and will continue to strengthen its collaboration with international law enforcement agencies to combat crime and criminality,” he said.
