U.S. Homeland Security forces were conducting investigations at Fuyao Glass America in Moraine Friday.
A spokesman for Homeland Security released a statement saying: “Homeland Security Investigations special agents, in collaboration with IRS Criminal Investigation and other law enforcement agencies, are conducting federal search warrants at Fuyao Glass America and 27 other locations in the Dayton area as part of an ongoing criminal investigation.
“Special agents are on scene investigating allegations of financial crimes and labor exploitation. There is a large law enforcement presence in Dayton, Liberty Township, Miamisburg, Moraine and West Carrollton but there is no threat to public safety at this time. Please avoid the areas where active law enforcement activities are ongoing,” the statement added.
Fuyao is not the target of the investigation at this time, and there was no intention to arrest anyone Friday, a Homeland Security agent was recorded telling workers at the plant. The recording was posted to Facebook.
“We just need to need to talk with everybody to find out what they’ve seen, what’s happening and what they know,” the agent said.
He added: “We’re sorry for interrupting your day. We apologize. You probably just want to get to the end of your shift. We get it. We’re going to try to do that as fast as possible.”
A large law enforcement presence was reported at the plant off Kettering Boulevard and West Stroop Road Friday morning.
Multiple Ohio State Highway Patrol cruisers were blocking off the front and back of the plant. A mobile emergency EMA trailer arrived and a nonprofit was feeding people at Fuyao, according to a source on the scene.
“The Department of Homeland Security is conducting an investigation involving several locations in the region. The City of Moraine is not involved in the operation and DHS did not request any operational support,” said a spokesperson for the City of Moraine.
A few blocks away, in the 3700 block of Waterbury Drive in Kettering, Homeland Security Investigations and U.S. Immigrations and Customs Enforcement officers were seen going in and out of the house.
A neighbor, who asked not to be identified, said he was in his bedroom around 10:30 a.m. when he heard sirens.
“I thought it was just someone who got pulled over or whatever,” he said. “Then I heard, ‘FBI, open up. FBI, open up.’”
The neighbor said the response was unusual for the typically quiet neighborhood.
“There’s a lot of people that live in that house, so we didn’t know what was going on specifically,” he said. “But when I saw HSI I figured it’s probably got to be Homeland (Security).”
Homeland Security agents were also in the 1800 block of Hoyle Place in Kettering, talking to a group of people outside a house.
About six to eight men were sitting outside handcuffed in the 1100 block of Irving Avenue in Dayton with Homeland Security and local law enforcement officer on the scene.
Investigators also responded to the 2400 block of Fox Run Road in Miami Twp.
Chinese-owned Fuyao Global bought part of what had been a closed General Motors plant in Moraine in 2014, reconfiguring it into what the company has said is the world’s largest auto glass production site.
Fuyao Global has said it is the second biggest glass manufacturer in the world and the largest in China.
In a November 2017 election, Fuyao workers resoundingly rejected the United Auto Workers’ attempt to represent its Moraine plant.
It’s at least the second time Homeland Security representatives have visited a Moraine manufacturer in seven months. In January, Moraine police confirmed search warrant activity at Harco Manufacturing, on Kettering Boulevard near Fuyao, saying they assisted with the investigation there.
A spokeswoman for Fuyao, Lei Shi, declined to comment Friday.
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