In brief
Two men aged 27 and 29 were caught using a rented property in Camblanes-et-Meynac for espionage, erecting a large parabolic antenna that raised the suspicion of local residents. French intelligence agencies linked the pair to efforts to capture satellite data, which they allegedly intended to send back to China. This incident highlights a growing trend of espionage targeting sensitive sites in the region.
Two suspected Chinese spies, accused of using a sleepy village in south-western France to gather information, have been arrested.
Residents of Camblanes-et-Meynac, about 15 miles (9km) from Bordeaux, grew suspicious when the Chinese pair erected a large parabolic antenna in the garden after renting a house through rentals giant Airbnb.
The dish, directed at the sky, was notably installed during a period when locals experienced a spate of internet service disruptions.
Intelligence experts have expressed concerns that southwest France is becoming a hotspot for espionage activity, particularly due to its proximity to key defense, aerospace, and telecommunications sites.
On Saturday, officers from France's General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI) agency raided the house and seized a significant amount of computer equipment.
The two men, aged 27 and 29, were reportedly in France under work visas, claiming to be engineers at a wireless communications firm, and are currently being questioned under charges related to delivering information to a foreign power.
Additionally, two other men of Chinese origin residing in France have been charged with providing assistance to the suspects.
The prosecutor's office indicated that the arrested men aimed to capture satellite data from Elon Musk's Starlink network, along with military data which they intended to retransmit to China.
This incident marks yet another case amid a series of espionage scandals in southwestern France, where last year a Chinese engineer was detained for similar activities.
Mayor Jean-Philippe Guillemeot expressed bemusement at the events, suggesting that the village is typically home to artists rather than spies, speculating they perhaps just sought a quiet location.
