Devices used for illegal flight data collection seized

Chinese security agencies have cracked down on foreign organizations that have been recruiting aviation enthusiasts in China as "volunteers" to illegally collect and transmit flight data, the Ministry of State Security said.

In a nationwide operation, authorities seized hundreds of deployed devices used for illegal activities, and those involved will face legal penalties, the ministry said over the weekend.

The foreign organizations were found to be looking for targets among aviation enthusiasts with active accounts on major Chinese online platforms, including Sina Weibo and video-sharing websites, the ministry revealed.