HONG KONG - A RELATIVE of Macau chief executive Edmund Ho is wanted by Interpol, AFP learnt on Sunday, in the latest twist in the city's biggest graft scandal.

The international police organisation has issued a 'red notice' for Chan Lin-ian, brother-in-law of Mr Ho's brother, and his wife Lam Man-i over suspected money laundering. Arrest warrants for the pair had also been issued by Macau authorities, according to the Interpol website.

A red notice means that the persons concerned are wanted by national jurisdictions, and that Interpol will assist the national police forces in identifying or locating them with a view to their arrest and extradition.

Mr Chan, 53, had been implicated in the corruption case of Macau's former public works minister Ao Man-long, who was jailed last year for 27 years on 57 counts of bribe-taking, money laundering, abuse of power and other charges, the Sunday Morning Post said.

Mr Chan's company, Shun Heng Construction, came under investigation last year after it allegedly provided kickbacks to Mr Ao over three public works projects it undertook between 2003 and 2006, the newspaper said.

Interpol has so far issued a total of six red notices for people allegedly involved with Ao's case, including his wife, Chan Meng-ieng, the report said.

Mr Ao, who was arrested in December 2006 by the Macau Commission Against Corruption, amassed a personal fortune of more than US$100 million (S$149 million) in his seven years in office - 57 times his family's income during that time.

The high-profile scandal has put the spotlight on the casino city, which overtook the Las Vegas Strip as the world's largest gaming hub in gaming revenues in 2007. -- AFP