CANADA. COURT AGAIN REJECTS REFUGEE STATUS FOR CHINESE FUGITIVE

the federal appeals court in British Columbia province, Canada, affirmed a lower court's February 2004 decision to refuse refugee status refused to Lai Changxing, a Chinese man considered China's most wanted fugitive. 
China contended that Lai was the mastermind of a criminal ring that allegedly smuggled six billion dollars worth of goods from Fujian province. But he had not been formally accused. At least 14 people had been sentenced to death in connection with the case in China.
Lai fled with his wife and three children to Canada in 1999, entering the country as tourists using passports from Hong Kong. They were detained in November 2000 for violating immigration laws.
Following hearings in the British Columbia city of Vancouver, a Canadian Immigration and Refugee board denied the couple refugee status in 2002. Canada has opposed his refugee claim because he was wanted for non-political crimes. Lai's attorney, David Matas, said his client and family risked execution if sent back to China.