Norwegian authorities arrested a Chinese man on May 15, 2026, in the Nordland region on suspicion of attempted illegal intelligence activities, police said [1, 2, 3]. PST media spokesman Eirik Veum said the man was suspected of "attempted illegal intelligence activities in Nordland" but declined to provide further details [1].
A Norwegian court ordered the suspect to be held in custody for four weeks on May 17 [1, 2]. The man’s lawyer, Tor Haug, stated that the suspect denied the charges [1].
Weeks earlier, on May 7, a Chinese woman was arrested in Norway on suspicion of spying on satellite data [1, 3]. Authorities suspect she was involved in using a Norwegian-registered company as a cover to set up a receiving station for downloading data from polar orbit satellites [1, 3, 4]. Police prosecutor Thomas Blom said the arrest hinged on suspicions that a Chinese state actor was trying to establish such a station through the company [1].
Norwegian investigators searched two residences connected to the case, including one on Andøya island within the Arctic Circle, which houses rocket launch and weapons test facilities [5, 6].
Officials stated other suspects are involved in the espionage probe, which they classify as conspiracy to commit serious espionage against state secrets [1, 7]. Norwegian intelligence regards China and Russia as the main espionage threats, citing interests in land near vital infrastructure or military sites [1, 3].
The next major legal step is the suspect’s remand period, set to last four weeks following the court’s decision on May 17.
