A 61-year-old businessman on the run 23 years for an alleged passport scam has been arrested trying to enter Hong Kong from New York.

Yao Tao-fa, alias David Yao and Yao Too-fat, 61, was arrested at the airport Saturday and brought before Eastern Magistracy today to face a count of possessing equipment for making a false instrument.

No plea was taken. Magistrate Ian Candy adjourned the case to October 31 for mention, and remanded the defendant in custody.

Yao allegedly had items for making fake British and Taiwanese passports back in 1982. He was arrested but jumped bail.