By Nichola Groom
(Reuters) – The U.S. Department of Homeland Security this week raided a factory and sales office operated by Chinese solar panel manufacturer Jinko Solar Holding Co Ltd, the agency said on Wednesday.
Mike Meares, a spokesperson for the Homeland Security Investigations arm of DHS, said search warrants were executed in Florida and California on May 9 as part of “an ongoing federal investigation”.
Jinko, which is based in Shanghai, has a solar panel factory in Jacksonville, Florida, and a sales and operations office in San Francisco.
Meares did not provide details on the substance of the probe.
The company, through a spokesperson, said its business was operating normally and that it was “engaging constructively with relevant agencies to understand the nature of the inquiry”.
“Jinko Solar is committed to operating in accordance with the highest ethical standards and adhering to the laws and regulations of the countries where it operates, including the United States,” the spokesperson said.
Jinko is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of solar equipment.
(Reporting by Nichola Groom; Editing by Deepa Babington and Jan Harvey)
