Man accused of running ‘secret Chinese police station’ says it is misunderstanding

By Tara O’Connor, Local Democracy Reporter

Businesses have said they were shocked to hear their neighbour had been accused of running a “secret Chinese police station” from the offices of a food delivery app.

But the Croydon High Street businesses said they’ve seen nothing unusual happening at the site.

Businessman Ruiyou Lin, owner of All Eat App has defended himself against the allegations there is a secret police station at the premises, which the Government has said it is urgently investigating.

He claims he has only helped Chinese citizens re-apply for their driver’s licence.

It had been reported Mr Lin’s business address is listed as a police station and photos show Mr Lin in front of a blue banner that appears to be nearly identical to the one which those arrested recently in New York were pictured beside.

Asked to explain this, Mr Lin claims the police aspect has been misunderstood.

“The UK and China is different,” he said. “In China, they don’t have a department like the DVLA. They put everything in the police department, but actually it’s not a police job.

“It’s called a ‘Chinese police driving licence’, but the thing is it’s not [connected to] a police station.

“Actually what those pictures was about is the Chinese driving licence renewal. If you are from China and you live in UK and you don’t renew your driving licence, when you come back, you must re-test the driving licence.”

Despite concerns being raised in Parliament twice and police investigating Mr Lin, his neighbours said they had not seen anything to make them worried.

Aaron Jameel, who runs a tailoring shop close to Mr Lin’s business, said the first he heard of the allegations was when reporters started coming in and asking him if he had seen anything.

He said: “I was surprised to be honest because I didn’t know anything about it until the reporters came in. I got curious about it so I asked one of the offices upstairs ‘what’s going on with your neighbour?’ But he said [All Eat App’s] door is always open, if there is something going on I don’t understand it.

“Around the pandemic I remember [Mr Lin] imported some masks and came in and gave some to me, as a present, as a neighbour you know.

“When I smoke outside I see him and we talk. I haven’t heard any of the public talking about it, in general it is just reporters that have been asking about it.”

Market trader, Jose Joseph, said he was surprised to hear of the allegations and thinks it should be investigated.

He said: “He comes into the market but I don’t know him personally. I haven’t noticed anything unusual but it is a job for the police and other departments to find out if there is something.”

Mr Lin said he has been co-operating with a police investigation into the allegations and insists he has nothing to hide.

On April 19 the issue was raised for a second time in Parliament by shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper.

Reacting to the allegations, MP for Croydon Central Sarah Jones said: “It is a mystery to everyone. The first I heard about it was from constituents and my initial sense was ‘this must be a hoax’, but it turns out it wasn’t and it is something the government is investigating.

“I would like the government to come out and say something. The fact that there are investigations suggests there are worries about it.”

A Government spokesman said: “Reports of alleged, undeclared ‘police stations’ operating in the UK are of course very concerning and are taken extremely seriously.

“Attempts by foreign governments to coerce, intimidate, harass or harm their critics overseas, undermining democracy and the rule of law, are unacceptable. We are committed to tackling these challenges wherever they originate.”

Pictured top: Ruiyou Lin (Picture: Facundo Arrizabalaga)