FBI Opens Permanent Office in New Zealand

FBI Director Kash Patel has confirmed the opening of a permanent FBI office in Wellington, New Zealand, marking the agency's first dedicated law enforcement presence in the country. The new office will report directly to Washington, D.C., rather than through Australia, bringing New Zealand in line with other Five Eyes partners. While the FBI emphasized countering threats from the Chinese Communist Party, cybercrime, and narcotics trade as priorities, New Zealand officials described the office as aimed at broader security cooperation. Patel met with key government ministers overseeing intelligence and policing during his visit. The opening of the office follows Patel's meetings with law enforcement in Hawaii, reflecting a wider U.S. effort to strengthen Indo-Pacific security partnerships. This move highlights the FBI's strategic focus on expanding international collaboration amid rising regional security concerns.