BEIJING (AP) — China's stock regulator says in comments reported by multiple news outlets that Beijing plans to have people abroad who are accused of financial market misconduct "captured and returned."

The reports Friday follow the disappearance of a Chinese-born Canadian businessman from Hong Kong and the detention of a series of leading securities industry figures on the mainland.

News websites cited the chairman of the China Securities Regulatory Commission as saying "capital crocodiles" would be stopped from hurting investors.

The regulator, Liu Shiyu, was cited as saying Beijing "will have 'capital crocodiles' captured and returned in a planned way." The reports gave no indication whether Beijing might ask other governments to return suspects.

An official of the securities agency's press office declined to confirm whether Liu made the comments.