The FBI will be setting up a permanent office in New Zealand's capital, after the director Kash Patel met with several ministers, the heads of the police and New Zealand's spy agencies.
The US Embassy in Wellington confirmed in a statement plans for a "dedicated law enforcement attaché office" in the city.
"While the FBI has stationed personnel in New Zealand for several years, establishing a full Legat position in the country will strengthen and enhance the long-standing cooperation with a key Five Eyes partner in the southwestern Pacific region," the statement said.
"This new upgraded office will continue to work with our New Zealand partners to address shared priority areas through joint investigations, information sharing, and capacity-building.
FBI Director Kash Patel at the opening ceremony for a dedicated law enforcement attaché office in Wellington. Photo: Supplied/OLA THORSEN
"It will work to investigate and disrupt a wide range of threats and criminal activities including terrorism, cybercrime and fraud, organized crime and money laundering, child exploitation, and foreign intelligence threats.
"It will have responsibility for partnerships in New Zealand, Antarctica, Samoa, Niue, Cook Islands, and Tonga."
Patel was spotted in the Beehive basement on Wednesday afternoon.
A former US National Security official, he was picked for the top FBI role by US President Donald Trump.
He has made headlines in recent weeks in the battle over the release of US government documents about Jeffrey Epstein.
Photo: RNZ / Mark Papalii
Thursday's statement confirmed he had met with Ministers Judith Collins, Mark Mitchell, and Winston Peters, as well as Police Commissioner Richard Chambers, Director-General of the NZSIS Andrew Hampton, and Director-General of the GCSB Andrew Clark.
Chambers said their meeting included discussion of law enforcement initiatives.
"He is here and I will be meeting with him," he said.
"We are very fortunate to have the director in New Zealand so early in his tenure of what is a very high profile position and very influential.
"I will be having some of my staff who have also been through programmes run by the FBI over many years meeting with him and with me to acknowledge their contribution to policing here in New Zealand."
FBI Director Kash Patel announced a standalone office in Wellington. Photo: OLA THORSEN
A statement from Mitchell, the police minister, and Collins, who is the minister responsible for the GCSB and NZSIS, said the move demonstrated the strength of the five eyes partnership and would enhance the safety and security of New Zealanders.
"We exchanged a range of insights on areas such as trans-national organised crime, counter-terrorism, cyber-security and espionage," Collins said.
Mitchell said Patel's visit should send a clear message to criminals that they could not hide behind an international border.
"Police are part of a global effort on law enforcement. Director Patel's visit was an excellent opportunity to share our common concerns while reinforcing the importance of New Zealand and the US working together to protect our citizens," he said.
Mitchell said New Zealand police were continually working with overseas counterparts like the FBI to catch criminals and disrupt and prevent crime, including drug smuggling and online child exploitation.
A spokesperson for the NZSIS and GCSB spy agencies said international relationships - particularly with Five Eyes partners - were fundamental to their work, and the engagements with Patel were "an opportunity to build on the strong and enduring relationship" the agencies had with the FBI.
"Issues of mutual national security interest were discussed including regional security, transnational organised crime, counter-terrorism, cyber-security and espionage. The discussions with Director Patel occurred alongside his engagements with New Zealand Police, who are a key domestic partner for both the NZSIS and GCSB," the statement said.
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