Chinese Operatives Arrested for Running Covert Police Station in New York

April 17

What happened: New York City residents Lu Jianwang and Chen Jinping were arrested for opening and operating an undeclared overseas police station in Manhattan’s Chinatown on behalf of China’s Ministry of Public Security (MPS).

The defendants are charged with conspiring to act as agents of the PRC government as well as obstructing justice by destroying evidence of their communications with an MPS official. The clandestine police station, which occupied an entire floor in an office building, was closed in the fall of 2022. The defendants face a maximum sentence of five years in prison for conspiring to act as agents of the PRC and 20 years for obstruction of justice if convicted.

Why it matters: These arrests expose the Chinese government’s attempts to undermine US sovereignty and intimidate dissidents and critics within the United States. The case highlights the importance of increased vigilance and security measures to protect American citizens, values, and interests from foreign interference and espionage.

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