Singapore man considered ‘central to case’ of alleged espionage in Norway

SINGAPORE – A man from Singapore is considered “central” to a case of alleged espionage that has erupted in Norway and resulted in the arrest of a woman from China by the Norwegian Police Security Service, or PST, this week.

Three people and one company have been charged in relation to the case, Mr Thomas Blom, police prosecutor at PST, was quoted as saying in Norwegian tabloid Verdens Gang (VG) on May 8.

“The operation is based on suspicions that a company registered in Norway is being used as a cover for an attempt by a Chinese state actor to establish a receiving station to download data from satellites in polar orbit,” Mr Blom told AFP in a statement.

The data in question could “harm Norway’s fundamental interests if it came into the hands of a foreign state”, he added.

The Chinese woman is suspected of having attempted to engage in “aggravated intelligence activities targeting state secrets”.

Neither she nor the man from Singapore were named by media.

The case has made headlines in Norway.

According to Norwegian media, two residences linked to the Singapore man had been searched by the PST and his firm is also under investigation.

Norwegian news outlet vol.no said the Chinese woman was arrested on May 7 at a residential property in Andoya, an island in northern Norway. The house allegedly belonged to a man from Singapore, whom Norwegian police believe is “central to the case”.

Andoya is home to the Andoya Spaceport, a space centre set up to expand Europe’s presence in space. AFP said the island in the Arctic Circle hosts both a rocket launch pad and a weapons testing site.

Vol.no also said that authorities searched another property in Otta, which was listed as the man’s registered residential address.

According to Norwegian media reports, PST has not commented on whether the man has been charged in the case, but a property search is usually conditional on the existence of a charge

Reuters reported that the Chinese national will be held in police custody for up to four weeks while the case against her is investigated. If charges are eventually filed, she risks being sentenced to up to 10 years in prison if found guilty.

Mr Blom also told Norwegian media on May 8 that the authorities had seized a container consisting of a 22-ton mobile satellite receiver.

He said the PST had acted when it did as it believed the Chinese woman was on her way to a country “with which they had no extradition agreement”.

In a separate interview with vol.no on the evening of May 7, the man from Singapore said he had been “deceived by several people” who allegedly tricked him into buying a house in Andoya.

The man, 43, who spoke to the media outlet from Singapore, was quoted as saying, “I’m not entirely sure what happened. My understanding is that a Chinese woman has been identified as a spy”.’

The man told vol.no that his Chinese friend in Singapore introduced him to someone who wanted to do business in Norway, but that they needed to find a place they could rent.

He said the friend, whom he has known since they were both in school, contacted him in December 2025.

The man said he had never been to Andoya. His friend had found the house themselves, and asked the man to contact the broker directly, he said, adding that all transactions took place online.

He was offered 60,000 kroner (S$8,258) in monthly rent.

In April 2026, the man became aware that a shipment had been sent to Norway from China under his company’s name. “These goods were sent to Norway without my knowledge,” he told vol.no.

The man first went to Norway in 2022 in an unsuccessful attempt to establish a data centre there. According to public records, he held roles and ownership in several Norwegian companies and has been involved in a bankruptcy and a civil lawsuit, reported vol.no.

According to AFP, Norwegian intelligence services have cited China and Russia as the main risks to Norway when it comes to espionage. PST, in its latest threat assessment report, said that the two countries had shown interest in purchasing land near critical infrastructure or military installations.

In an article in the Global Times, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian said on May 8 that the country was aware of the situation and it “firmly opposes any groundless accusations and malicious smears against China, and believes that Norway will effectively protect the lawful rights and interests of Chinese citizens”.

The Straits Times has contacted the Chinese woman’s lawyer, the PST, the Singapore embassy in Oslo, the Norwegian embassy in Singapore, and vol.no for more information.