Chinese fugitive
Song Jiangbeing re-arrested by Yongshan police. Image credit - Yongshan Police

Chinese police nabbed a fugitive, who had been on the run for the last 17 years, from his hideout in a cave.

According to media reports, the Chinese police detected the location of the fugitive by using drones.

The 63-year-old man has been identified as Song Jiang.

He was jailed for being involved in trafficking women and children.

However, Jiang was able to escape from a jail camp in 2002.

The human trafficker had been taking shelter in a small cave, which is located in an area far away from human habitats, for several years.

Chinese fugitive
A view of the hideout of Song Jiang. Image credit – Yongshan Police
A view of the hideout of Song Jiang. Image credit – Yongshan Police

As per the reports, in early September, Yongshan police received some clues about the whereabouts of the fugitive’s whereabouts, the Yongshan police said in their WeChat account.

The Yongshan police further said on their WeChat account that Jiang was sent back to the jail.

Reports said, the cave is in a mountain behind Jiang’s hometown in Yunnan province in south-west China.

The intelligence led the police to the area of Jiang’s hiding place a year back, however, despite numerous searches the police failed to detect the exact location of his whereabouts.

On specific information, the police took help of drones and finally were able to locate Jiang’s hideout.

A media report quoted the police as saying that the man had been living in seclusion for year that it became difficult for him to communicate with the officers.

State media said Song used branches of trees to make fire and plastic bottles to get drinking water from a river near the cave.