FBI opens first office in New Zealand ‘to counter China and cybercrime'
Patel, who opened the office at the US embassy in Wellington on Thursday, called the event an 'historic moment'.
'The announcement that we are opening up our law enforcement attache office here in Wellington shows the world that the FBI is actually prioritising a permanent presence across all Five Eyes countries,' Patel said in a video, supplied by the embassy.
'Here in New Zealand we had not had that until this historic moment, so we are truly humbled with the reception we have been given.'
Patel said the US and New Zealand would work together on 'some of the most important global issues of our time'.
'Countering the CCP in the Indopacom [the US's Indo-Pacific Command] area, countering the narcotics trade, working against cyber intrusion and ransomware operations and most importantly protecting our respective citizenry,' he said.
The FBI has stationed staff in Wellington since 2017, as a sub-office of the legal attaché office in Australia's capital Canberra, Australia. The new office will have responsibility for partnerships in New Zealand, Antarctica, Samoa, Niue, Cook Islands, and Tonga.
Patel – a Donald Trump ally, who has made headlines in recent weeks over the Epstein controversy - is the most senior member of the US administration to visit New Zealand since the start of Trump's second term in office.
During his visit, he met with senior government representatives, including the ministers and heads responsible for the country's police, foreign affairs and spy agencies.
The minister responsible for New Zealand's intelligence services, Judith Collins said she and Patel had 'exchanged a range of insights' on areas such as trans-national organised crime, counter-terrorism, cybersecurity and espionage.
Police minister Mark Mitchell said Patel's visit should 'send a clear message to criminals' that they 'cannot hide behind an international border'.
'New Zealand police are continually working with their overseas counterparts like the FBI to catch those engaged in illegal, harmful activities such as drug smuggling and online child exploitation, as well disrupting and preventing this offending from happening in the first place,' he said in a statement.
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