A French judicial official has confirmed that Meng Hongwei, the head of Chinese international police organization, disappeared sometime in September.

Image: Meng Hongwei

Hongwei led China’s Interpol Division until his wife reported his disappearance last month, Telegraph says.

The 64-year-old was last seen leaving for China from Interpol’s headquarters in Lyon, southeast France, in late September, the judicial source said.

Hongwei’s wife, who lives in Lyon, where Interpol is based, contacted the police when her husband didn’t return home from the trip as expected.

Interpol said the whereabouts of its president is a “matter for the relevant authorities in both France and China.”

Hongwei was elected president of Interpol in November 2016. At the time, rights groups expressed concern that Beijing might try to use his position at the body to go after dissidents abroad.

Beijing has tried for many years to enlist the help of foreign countries to arrest and deport back to China citizens it accuses of crimes including corruption and terrorism.

Hongwei’s term is due to run until 2020.

A vice minister of public security in China, he previously served as vice chairman of the national narcotics control commission and director of the National Counter-Terrorism Office for China. Interpol’s main function is to provide a mechanism for police forces in different countries to notify each other of wanted suspects.