Chinese Police Officers Vanish During High-Security Vancouver Visit, RCMP Testifies
In a startling revelation during a British Columbia Supreme Court trial, an RCMP officer testified that three Chinese police officers went missing for six hours during a high-security visit to Vancouver in 2018. The incident prompted the Royal Canadian Mounted Police to establish surveillance at airports and border crossings, highlighting significant security concerns.
Security Breach During Official Visit
The testimony came from Supt. Peter Tsui, who served as the RCMP liaison officer in Beijing for four years. He explained that a delegation of 14 officials from China's Ministry of Public Security and Public Security Bureau had traveled to Canada to discuss money laundering and economic fugitives with RCMP counterparts. The visit required months of security clearance preparations, including lobbying for visas for some officials.
"We would have to ensure that when they're in Canada, that we would be looking after them," Tsui told the court, describing how RCMP officers were assigned to escort the Chinese officials throughout their stay, using the polite term "hosted" for this protective duty.
Disappearance Triggers Border Alert
The security protocol was severely tested when the delegation traveled from Toronto to Vancouver for the second leg of their trip. Three members failed to appear at a designated meeting location, leaving RCMP authorities completely unaware of their whereabouts for six critical hours.
"We had no idea where they went, and we had to put safeguards in place at the borders and at the airport," Tsui testified. "Because there's certain individuals in Vancouver that we were concerned about being returned to China."
The incident reportedly damaged diplomatic trust between Canada and China, according to the RCMP officer's testimony. The missing officers eventually reappeared, but the six-hour disappearance raised serious questions about security protocols during international police exchanges.
Trial Context and Broader Implications
The testimony emerged during the trial of former RCMP inspector William Majcher, who faces charges under Canada's Security of Information Act. Prosecutors allege Majcher planned to assist the Chinese government in repatriating Hongwei (Kevin) Sun, a permanent Canadian resident since 2001 whom Beijing had flagged as a suspect in fraud crimes allegedly involving hundreds of millions of dollars.
China had issued an Interpol "red notice" for Sun's arrest and claimed he had invested heavily in Vancouver real estate. The trial before Justice Martha Devlin is examining whether Majcher violated Canadian law by allegedly planning to help Chinese authorities.
Tsui's testimony also revealed broader concerns about Chinese police operations in Canada. He stated that intelligence from overseas colleagues suggested Chinese police would contact individuals in Canada they wanted to repatriate, sometimes hiring law firms and private investigators to assist.
"We don't have 100 percent evidence, but we were advised that they were contacting the subjects and also pressuring their families, stealing assets and freezing bank accounts in China," Tsui told the court.
Canadian Safeguards and Procedures
Despite these concerns, Tsui emphasized that the RCMP maintains strict protocols when cooperating with Chinese authorities. Mounties always require evidence in English before making arrests and insist on being present during any police interviews conducted by Chinese officials in Canada to ensure suspects' Charter rights are protected.
"Mounties would also be present at police interviews in Canada by Chinese police of those suspected of crimes in China to ensure their Charter rights weren't violated and they weren't intimidated or coerced during questioning," he explained.
The trial continues as the court examines the complex intersection of international law enforcement cooperation, national security concerns, and individual rights in an increasingly interconnected world.
