(NewsNation) — This week, federal prosecutors arrested two U.S. residents for secretly working with the People’s Republic of China to operate a Chinese police station in New York City. Now, a human rights group says there are more than 100 similar Chinese outposts in 53 countries across the globe.
Senior FBI intelligence officials told NewsNation they see reports of secret Chinese police stations and China’s attempt at threatening and harassing opponents of the Chinese government as an inflection point.
In the U.S., China has opened police stations in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Houston and in undisclosed cities in Nebraska, Minnesota and New York, according to the Spain-based human rights group Safeguard Defenders.
The station in New York City closed this week after the FBI began investigating last year. Residents near the now-closed station say they didn’t know about it, but aren’t surprised.
“I think (Chinese dissidents) may be aware all along. Let’s say if you’re, if you’re a high-profile dissident and you make your way to the United States, the United States gave you sanctuary or offers you asylum and all that, you would be aware that you would be followed. It’s just the — Man, who wouldn’t look out for being followed or something?” said community activist Karlin Chan.
“The ultimate purpose of this illegal police station was not to protect and serve but rather silence and to harass and threaten individuals in the US, particularly those with opposing views of the Chinese government,” said Breon Peace, U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York.
“These defendants did China’s bidding in secret while acting under the direction and control of an NPS official in China,” Peace said.
China denies these accusations, saying these outposts are not police stations, but places where people can go to carry out tasks like renew their driver’s licenses.
The FBI would not confirm any additional secret police stations in the U.S., saying they couldn’t comment on ongoing investigations.