The US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) raided a factory and sales office operated by China’s Jinko Solar Holding as part of an undisclosed probe.
A spokesperson for the Homeland Security Investigations arm of the DHS, Mike Meares, said search warrants were executed in Florida and California last week as part of an ongoing federal investigation.
Jinko, one of the world’s largest solar panel makers which is based in Shanghai, has a solar panel factory in Jacksonville, Florida, and a sales and operations office in San Francisco.
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The company is one of few global solar manufacturers that have set up domestic production in recent years. Most US solar panels are imported from Asia.
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.
In the last year, Jinko and other large Chinese panel makers have had shipments of solar equipment detained by US customs officials under the Uyghur Forced Labor Protection Act, a new law banning imports from China’s Xinjiang region over concerns about forced labor.
Jinko shares slid 8% after the raid in Florida was reported by several local news outlets.
- Reuters with additional editing by Sean O’Meara
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