Authorities shut down the covert station in Chinatown and charge the suspects with espionage-related offences, uncovering a broader campaign of intimidation.
The FBI has arrested two individuals in connection with running an illicit Chinese police station in New York City. The arrests, which took place on Monday, are part of an investigation into the secretive operation allegedly aimed at extending Chinese governmental influence within the United States.
The suspects are expected to face charges in federal court, accused of conspiring to act as agents for the Chinese government. This “undeclared police station,” located in the Chinatown area of Manhattan, was closed last year following a search warrant executed by authorities. The operation, officials stated, was conducted without any official declaration and was intended to further Chinese state interests in the US.
At a press conference revealing the arrests, US Attorney Breon Peace, Brooklyn’s top federal prosecutor, emphasised, “New York City is home to New York’s finest: the NYPD. We don’t need or want a secret police station in our great city.”
Along with the arrests, the Justice Department announced charges against 34 members of China’s national police for allegedly targeting Chinese nationals in the US who were critical of the Chinese government. These individuals, all currently residing in China, are believed to be part of the Chinese government’s “912 Special Project Working Group,” designed to sway international perceptions in favour of the People’s Republic of China (PRC).
According to prosecutors, the operatives used social media platforms to launch attacks against pro-democracy figures globally, while promoting the PRC’s agenda. They ran accounts that mimicked those of American citizens, publishing content including videos and articles that smeared Chinese pro-democracy activists. Some of the material contained explicit threats, even death threats, directed at individuals who had spoken out against the Chinese government or planned to attend pro-democracy protests in the US.
Chinese authorities have maintained that these “service centres,” which the FBI claims were part of a global network of similar operations, were merely run by volunteers and not involved in policing activities.
