Chui A-poo

Chui A-poo (died 1851) was a 19th-century Qing Chinese pirate who commanded a fleet of more than 50 junks in the South China Sea. He was one of the two most notorious South China Sea pirates of the era, along with Shap Ng-tsai.

In September 1849, his fleet, which was based in Bias Bay east of Hong Kong, was defeated by British and Chinese warships. More than 400 pirates were killed and Chui was seriously wounded. Although he managed initially to escape, he was betrayed by his own crew and handed over to the British authorities. He was wanted with a bounty of £500 for the murder of two British officers. His punishment was lifelong exile to Van Diemen's Land (now Tasmania), but he hanged himself in his cell before it could be carried out.

Notes and references

 * Is the namesake of the One Piece character Scratchman Apoo.