BEIJING (AP) — A Chinese court says former Interpol President Meng Hongwei has confessed to accepting more than $2 million in bribes and expressed regret for his crime.

The No. 1 Intermediate Court in the northeastern port city of Tianjin says Meng read a statement at a hearing on Thursday. That assures a conviction, although it isn't immediately clear when a verdict and sentence would be handed down.

Elected president of the international police organization in 2016, Meng disappeared into custody after traveling to China from France at the end of September. Interpol was forced to ask China about Meng's whereabouts.

The Tianjin court says Meng had abused his positions, including as a vice minister of public security and maritime police chief, to curry favor for others in return for bribes.