Dance at Leipzig Airport: Chinese agent arrested!

Dance at Leipzig Airport: Chinese agent arrested!

In a surprising turn, the federal prosecutor arrested a Chinese citizen in Leipzig who is suspected of having passed on secret information to a Chinese secret service. The accused, Yagi X., is reportedly employed by the subsidiary Portground of the Leipzig/Halle Airport, who is responsible, among other things, for the processing of freight and supporting passenger flights. Apparently she also played a role in conversations with companies from China.

The arrest took place on Monday. According to the investigation, Yagi X. is said to have sent sensitive information about flights and freight as well as information on passengers to a intelligence officer from August 2023 to February 2024. This raises serious questions regarding the security situation at the airport, which is a potential goal for foreign espionage files.

Connections to known spy cases

is particularly alarming that the alleged intelligence officer, to whom the information was forwarded, has previously been related to other signs of espionage. Jian G. worked for the AfD politician Maximilian Krah until his arrest and is suspected of passing on information about negotiations in the EU Parliament and activities of Chinese oppositions in Germany.

The affair about the alleged spy activities continues to expand and draw even more attention to Leipzig/Halle Airport. The politician Krah tried to distance himself from the allegations by emphasizing that there was no indication of his own activities in connection with the arrest of his ex-employee. However, he admitted that he "did not pay attention".

Strategic importance of airport

Leipzig/Halle Airport not only plays a role in civil air traffic, but also has strategic importance for military operations. Examples of this are military flight movements, such as the transport of the US Air Force freight aircraft. This makes the airport an interesting goal for foreign secret services that may have an interest in the processes and freight volume.

However, the safety precautions at the airport are strict nature. Employees in sensitive areas go through extensive security checks, which include personal backgrounds and previous offenses. Airport spokesman Uwe Schuhart emphasized that the airport management supports the work of the security authorities fully and currently cannot announce any further details about the ongoing examination.

In addition to the military activities, the DHL cargo company with its European hub in Schkeuditz ensures that the airport is also of economic interest. Due to this large number of factors, the clarification of whether the allegations of espionage could be decisive for how security will be dealt with at the airport in the future.