Chinese businessman tries to cover up illegal flats with plants

A Chinese businessman has been caught after illegally building two flats on top of his 18th-floor penthouse, which he tried to hide by covering it with plants.

Pic/AFP

Journalists confirmed that the block should have only been 18 storeys high, but had somehow acquired an extra two floors that were not officially registered. People had been surprised when he put huge trees and thick bushes on the roof.

He later added camouflage nets filled with plastic plant foliage. But under the cover of greenery, he slowly started building an extension, incredibly hiding it from most of those in the block of flats, by saying he was doing renovations on the 18th floor.

The scam was revealed when one of the residents complained to the media after becoming concerned that it might damage the rest of the building.