Two Taiwanese appeared in a US federal court in Newark, New Jersey, on Wednesday, charged with drug dealing and conspiring to illegally buy “sensitive defense articles” for Beijing.
According to an FBI statement, Hui Sheng-shen, 45, and Huan Ling-chang, 41, were trying to acquire military spy drones, E-2C Hawkeye surveillance airplanes and stealth technology relating to F-22 jets.
They did not make a plea and a trial date has not yet been set.
Shen, known as “Charlie,” and Chang, known as “Alice,” could be jailed for life if they are found guilty on all counts.
Shen told FBI agents he was a logistics expert and Chang said she was a school teacher.
Both of the accused have been in custody for nearly two months on charges of conspiring to import 50kg of crystal methamphetamine from Taiwan into the US.
However, the drug charges have now been amended and the pair are charged with selling 1kg of nearly pure crystal methamphetamine to undercover agents.
During their court appearance, the charges of illegally seeking to export sensitive US military technology to China were introduced for the first time.
Paul Fishman, US Attorney for the District of New Jersey, said that a drug trafficking operation and the alleged plot to export “some of America’s most sensitive weapons and related technology to China” came to light during an investigation into the importation of counterfeit goods from China.
“The charges against Shen and Chang illustrate starkly why we do this work and what is at stake when the security of our ports is breached for any reason,” Fishman said. “National security isn’t an a la carte enterprise. The same conduits that bring knockoff sneakers flood our communities with illegal drugs and establish dangerous criminal relationships.”
Court documents that were unsealed for the first time this week detail an alleged criminal enterprise with international links.
According to the FBI statement, the documents reveal that Soon Ah Kow, 72, of Hong Kong, was arrested in Manila in February for brokering international transactions of illegal goods.
Kow reportedly told undercover FBI agents that Shen and Chang represented wealthy narcotics dealers.
In September last year, Shen and Chang allegedly asked undercover agents if they could supply highly sensitive military technology, especially a Hawkeye reconnaissance aircraft.
The next month, at a meeting in Las Vegas, Shen and Chang allegedly provided an expanded list of military items they wanted to buy.
During a series of conversations and meetings, the defendants told the undercover agents that their associates were “connected to the Chinese government, working for a Chinese intelligence company, like the CIA” and would be “using government money to make the purchases.”
In February, the pair were arrested when they visited New York and allegedly photographed a small drone and military manuals provided by undercover agents.
Additional reporting by Reuters
SOLIDARITY: A group of European lawmakers condemned China’s aggressive moves, while the foreign minister of Lithuania said Taiwan ‘cannot become a second Ukraine’ A German parliamentary delegation would visit Taiwan in the first week of October, German lawmaker Holger Becker on Monday told visiting Democratic Progressive Party legislators Fan Yun (范雲) and Lin I-chin (林宜瑾) at the Bundestag in Berlin. Asked by Fan whether he is worried about possible reprisals from Beijing, such as banning him and his family from entering China, Becker said he is more interested in visiting Taiwan, as “now is the time for democracies to stand together.” Fan and Lin also met with German officials to exchange views on digital education and governance. Investing in digital infrastructure and protecting equal rights to
‘IRRATIONAL ACTS’: The defense ministry condemned the drills, during which China tested successors to missiles deployed during the Taiwan Strait Crisis in 1995 and 1996 China yesterday fired several Dongfeng ballistic missiles as it began four days of unprecedented military drills off Taiwan proper following US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taipei the previous day. On Tuesday, Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs Wang Yi (王毅) said Beijing would “take all necessary measures” in retaliation should Pelosi visit Taiwan during her Asia tour. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) from 1:56pm to 4pm fired 11 Dongfeng missiles into waters north, east and south of Taiwan proper, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said. Taiwanese armed forces, using “forward warning and surveillance mechanisms,” monitored the missile tests
ANNEXATION PLANS: Remarks by the Chinese ambassador to France showed that Beijing seeks to normalize genocide, re-education and gulags, a US official said European and US officials condemned comments from Chinese Ambassador to France Lu Shaye (盧沙野), after he on Wednesday said that Taiwanese would be “re-educated” after any annexation by China. In an interview on French television, Lu accused the Democratic Progressive Party of “extremist” propaganda and turning Taiwanese against “reunification” with China. “We will re-educate. I’m sure that the Taiwanese population will again become favorable of the reunification and will become patriots again,” Lu told BFM TV. The term “re-education” has been used to describe Chinese authorities’ treatment of Uighurs and other Muslim minority groups in Xinjiang. European Parliament Subcommittee on Security and Defense Chairwoman
‘SIMULATED ATTACKS’: Ten warships each from China and Taiwan were maneuvering at close quarters in the Taiwan Strait, with some Chinese vessels crossing the median line Taiwan yesterday reiterated that it would not succumb to pressure from Beijing after China carried out its most provocative military drills in decades in retaliation for US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s trip to Taiwan last week. “We will never bow to pressure. We uphold freedom and democracy, and believe Taiwanese disapprove [of] China’s bullying actions with force and saber rattling at our door,” Premier Su Tseng-chang (蘇貞昌) said yesterday. China had “arrogantly” disrupted regional peace and stability, he said, calling on Beijing to not flex its military muscles. President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) has also called on the international community to “support
RSS