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A New York-based consulting firm called the Mintz Group said on Friday that Chinese police raided its offices in Beijing for unclear reasons and arrested all five of the Chinese nationals who worked there. Mintz said the Chinese government has “closed our operations there” and will not allow the company to contact its imprisoned employees.
According to the Mintz Group’s statement, the raid took place on Monday, but as of Friday the company still has not been told why it was targeted. The group said it was prepared to work with Chinese officials to “resolve any misunderstanding that may have led to these events.”
“Mintz Group has not received any official legal notice regarding a case against the company and has requested that the authorities release its employees,” the statement said.
“Our top priority is the safety and well being of our colleagues in China, where we have retained legal counsel to engage with the authorities and support our people and their families,” it added.
Various international media organizations reported on Friday that Chinese officials would not comment on the case.
The Mintz Group specializes in providing corporate services such as background checks and “due diligence.” The company has 18 offices worldwide, but only one in China.
A Mintz executive told the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) that the company has no idea which agencies of the Chinese government took its employees prisoner or what law they might be charged with violating.
