The driver, identified as Da Li, was arrested in the east of the country after a nationwide manhunt, the East Asia Economic News reported.

Following preliminary investigations, Mr Da is suspected of being involved in the murders of seven woman, while police are seeking to link him to a further two recent murders in Baicheng city, the report said.

According to the paper, the women went missing near Baicheng rail station, were raped, murdered and robbed before their burnt remains were found.

Locals have been fearful of taking taxi rides from the Baicheng railway due to the disappearances and as rumours spread over the gruesome manner in which the bodies were found, the paper said.

Police broke the case after a woman who disappeared two weeks ago sent a short message to her mother with the license plate of the taxi cab that she was riding in, it said.

After the woman failed to return home, the mother reported the car number to local police, it added.

The time period for the seven murders was not immediately clear, but the paper said some occurred over a year ago. -- AFP