(Yicai Global) Sept. 29 -- Shi Youcai, a top sales executive at Chinese search engine giant Baidu, has reportedly been arrested on suspicion of promoting gambling websites.

Shi, who leads the company's Mobile Ecology Group, was detained at Hangzhou Xiaoshan International Airport on Sept. 15, the Paper reported today. Li Zhongjun, a key account sales manager, as well as agents and clients have also been arrested in Zhejiang, Jiangxi and Jiangsu provinces.

Baidu is unaware of the specific details so it has not yet released an official response, but it has zero-tolerance for any violations of laws and regulations, the Beijing-based company told the 21 Century Business Herald. 

Shi had integrated gambling into Baidu's gaming category and was promoting those sites via agents, an insider told the same news outlet. Baidu had prohibited this business and would fine those caught doing it, an insider said.

Gambling has been illegal in China since 1949. Only the two official state-run lotteries are permitted.

This is not the first time that Baidu has been involved in a gambling scandal. The browser operator said in May 2019 that it had cleaned up some bad content and been in touch with the police after its forum site was bombarded with Cambodian gambling companies' recruitment postings for marketing staff to lure Chinese players.

Shi rejoined Baidu as a special consultant in June 2019 to fill the void left by Xiang Hailong, a former senior vice president who left a month before, according to an industry analyst. Shi had quit his VP post in 2011. 

Editor: Emmi Laine