…Researched and contributed by Judah Olanisebee.
FBI Arrests Two New York Residents for Operating an Undeclared Police Station
Law enforcement officials have arrested two residents of New York on charges of conspiring to act as agents for the Chinese government by operating an undeclared police station in Manhattan’s Chinatown neighborhood.
Lu Jianwang, 61, and Chen Jinping, 59, were both taken into custody on Monday morning and are set to appear in federal court in Brooklyn.
Prosecutors allege that Jianwang tried to persuade a Chinese fugitive to return home and harassed and threatened the individual in 2018.
Furthermore, in 2022, China’s government asked Jianwang to locate a pro-democracy Chinese activist living in California.
The FBI investigation revealed that the pair had deleted their communications with a Chinese government official after discovering that they were under investigation.
This marks the first time that criminal charges have been brought in connection with an undeclared police station.
The FBI also announced two additional complaints in Washington, one against 34 members of Beijing’s Municipal Public Security Bureau, and another against a group of 10 people that includes eight Chinese government officials.
As this is a developing story, further details and information may emerge in the coming days.
Commentary:
Undeclared police stations operated by foreign governments on American soil raise serious national security concerns.
Such stations could be used to collect information on US citizens, interfere in domestic politics, or conduct espionage activities.
The charges brought against Lu Jianwang and Chen Jinping highlight the potential threats posed by such operations and underscore the importance of maintaining vigilance and pursuing legal action against those involved in such activities.
It remains to be seen what further developments will emerge in this case, including any potential links to broader Chinese government activities in the US.
Nonetheless, this incident underscores the need for continued efforts to protect against foreign interference and espionage, and to maintain the integrity and security of American institutions.