The disciplinary watchdog in the Inner Mongolia autonomous region said four government vehicles were improperly used during a recent private regional tour.

The People's Daily reported on July 4 that regional officials used the public vehicles in a private photography tour on the prairies of the region's Xilingol League.

The region's Party disciplinary inspection commission said after a preliminary investigation that four public vehicles were indeed used during the photography tour.

Among the officials involved is Naran, former vice-chairman of the Inner Mongolian Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and current chief of the committee's ethnic culture promotion association, and Chen Yimin, another official in the committee.

The disciplinary watchdog said local police are also investigating reports that the vehicles' license plates were covered up or were removed during the tour.