A Hong Kong-based FedEx pilot was recently detained in China because of alleged smuggling of weapons and ammunition.
This is only the latest event in an escalating issue between FedEx and the Chinese government.
FedEx Pilot Detained In China
On Sept. 12, FedEx pilot Todd Hohn was trying to board a flight home after a delivery in mainland China when he was arrested by Chinese authorities at Guangzhou Airport because of some items that were found in his luggage. Authorities found 681 air-filled pellets in his luggage, and he was detained on allegations of smuggling weapons and ammunition.
The said non-metallic pellets are actually for low-power replica air guns, but authorities claim that Hohn was illegally carrying ammunition. Hohn was later released on bail but he has to remain in China while the case is still under investigation.
What's more, reports reveal that Hohn, who is a former Air Force pilot, was arrested before boarding a Cathay Dragon flight. Cathay Dragon is a subsidiary of Cathay Pacific, Hong Kong's largest airline that has recently been under scrutiny by the Chinese government.
FedEx And Chinese Authorities
This is only the most recent incident between FedEx and the Chinese government. It all started when the Chinese government began investigating on FedEx after Huawei had alleged that some documents it shipped from Japan to China were diverted to the United States without authorization.
Soon after that incident, Chinese authorities claimed that FedEx was holding back over 100 packages that were meant for Huawei. While FedEx did admit that it had mistakenly rejected a package containing a Huawei phone being shipped from the United States to the United Kingdom, the company later sued the U.S. government for putting it in a vulnerable position because of the export restrictions it placed on Huawei.
Still, things continued to escalate. Earlier this month, Chinese authorities opened an investigation on FedEx with allegations that the company was shipping knives to Hong Kong where protests are still ongoing.
FedEx is reportedly part of the list of unreliable entities that the Chinese government says are harming the interests of domestic companies. This supposed list was started in May to target U.S. companies after the U.S. government had placed export restrictions on Huawei.
