Missing HK man detained by Chinese officials

Hong Kong/Beijing: A man from Hong Kong was reported missing since December 13, has been detained by Chinese security officials on suspicion of smuggling offences while travelling to Macau, authorities from mainland China said on Monday.

Security officials from Guangdong said that a 53-year-old man called Chung was held on December 13 by the Zhuhai police and customs, who accused him of being involved in the smuggling of mobile phones in August 2012, reports the South China Morning Post newspaper.

He was wanted by customs in the mainland border city of Shenzhen, according to the Guangdong provincial public security department.

"Chung is an important member of the gang, and Zhuhai border control has already transferred him to the relevant authority," the department said in a post on Weibo, a Chinese micro-blogging site.

The Hong Kong resident was travelling on a coach along the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge when he was detained at a new security checkpoint manned by mainland officials, his son had told local media earlier.

Security on the world's longest sea crossing has been tightened ahead of President Xi Jinping's visit to Macau on Wednesday to celebrate the 20th anniversary of its handover to China.