Chinese murders suspect extradited

A Chinese businessman wanted by police over the murders of a family of four is being extradited to the UK, police said.

Anxiang Du was arrested in Morocco last year on suspicion of killing university lecturer Jifeng "Jeff" Ding, his wife Ge "Helen" Chui and their two daughters Alice, 12, and Xing, 18.

Northamptonshire Police said Du's extradition has been approved by the Moroccan ministry of justice in conjunction with the Home Office, and he is due to arrive in the UK on a flight from Casablanca. He will appear at Northampton Magistrates' Court on Thursday.

Deputy Chief Constable Martin Jelley said: "On behalf of Northamptonshire Police, I would like to thank all those who have been involved in this successful extradition, including Michael Ellis MP for his considerable support in progressing this with the relevant authorities."

The family were found stabbed to death at their home in Wootton, Northamptonshire, on April 29 2011 - the day of the royal wedding.

Du, the prime suspect in the investigation surrounding the killings, was arrested by Moroccan authorities last July. Detectives said at the time that they believed Du could have been evading capture in Morocco for more than a year.

He boarded a bus at London's Victoria station shortly after the family were found dead and travelled to Paris, through France and Spain, before catching a ferry from the port of Algeciras to Tangier.

The journey is believed to have taken only a few days, and Du had evaded capture in Morocco ever since.

Du has a background in herbal medicine and police said he had several thousand pounds in cash when he left the UK.

The suspect travelled from Africa in the custody of UK Border Agency officers, and will be held by the Metropolitan Police on arrival.