MORAINE — New details are beginning to emerge regarding the raid that was conducted Friday at Fuyao Glass America and nearly 30 additional properties in the southern parts of the Miami Valley.
>> Fuyao Glass releases statement after Homeland Security, IRS raids
However, officials at Fuyao now say it was not the focus of the raid following a years-long investigation.
News Center 7 talked with several people who live in Miami Township close to where a couple of raids happened and said they have been complaining about the properties dating back to 2021.
>> Previous Coverage: Fuyao plant, nearly 30 other area locations raided in massive Homeland Security investigation
Neighbors said they each complained that groups of 10 and 27 men had moved into two homes on their respective blocks.
One resident provided documentation that showed in early September 2021, he told township officials, “We see unmarked, white passenger vans ... picking up and dropping off several men multiple times during the day.” Adding, “This gives the illusion that the house is being used as a dormitory or something similar. I am concerned that that is improper use of a home in a single-family residential neighborhood.”
The resident stated they thought they might be employed by the Fuyao Glass manufacturing plant.
On Monday, News Center 7 reached out to Miami Township asking what the township or its police department did with the information from those two residents.
A spokesperson for the township provided News Center 7 with the following statement:
“Miami Township did not ignore our residents’ concerns, but this is not our investigation. We passed along any information we received concerning this investigation in a timely manner to the proper federal authorities.”
— Jill Drury, Communications Manager
News Center 7 has been reaching out to Fuyao since Friday. We received the following statement Monday:
“Last Friday, July 26th, 2024, federal government agents and supporting local law enforcement officers visited Fuyao Glass America, Inc. (“FGA”) as part of an investigation which we believe involves certain contractor and its entities. While we believe FGA is not the target of this investigation, the Company intends to cooperate fully with the investigation.
As a result, part of our first shift and the second shift operations were suspended. FGA has resumed production in the third shift on the same day and we believe our production and delivery will not be impacted.”
— Fuyao Glass America, Inc., Community Relations Manager
In a filing with the Shanghai Stock Exchange, Fuyao claims federal authorities told them they were not the target of the investigation, adding it’s centered on “a third-party labor service company.”
We will continue following this story.
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