A massive search operation in Hunan province involving more than 700 mainland Chinese police officers has led to the arrest of a man accused of strangling two women to death in a hotel room in Macau about 10 days ago, authorities in the city have said.

A Macau police investigation on Tuesday found the suspect, 34, had fled the city via a border checkpoint on May 6 about 10½ hours after allegedly luring the first victim into his hotel room at the MGM Cotai at about 9pm on the previous day. According to the force, the woman worked for a money changing gang in the city.