FDX FedEx Corp

By Chun Han Wong 

BEIJING -- Chinese police are investigating the presence of a gun in a package shipped by FedEx Corp. to China from the U.S., the latest scrutiny directed at the American shipping company by Chinese authorities.

The package was sent by a U.S. client to a sports-gear company in China's southern Fujian province, police in the provincial capital of Fuzhou said Sunday.

Fuzhou police launched the probe after receiving a report recently and confiscated the gun, according to a microblog post by police in Fuzhou's Jin'an district. The post didn't name the client who sent the package or the company that received it.

Chinese law prohibits the delivery of firearms, and bringing firearms into the country requires a number of permits, including from public security and customs authorities.

FedEx said it had notified the authorities about this shipment on June 14. "We take this matter seriously, and will continue to fully cooperate, " a company spokeswoman said in an emailed statement.

FedEx bans shipments of firearms outside the U.S., according to the company's service guide. Domestically, such shipments are allowed provided the shipper and recipient meet certain criteria, such as compliance with licensing laws.

Chinese authorities are already investigating FedEx over the mishandling of packages destined for Chinese telecom-gear maker Huawei Technologies Co. FedEx has apologized over the mishandling, which occurred in May, and said it is cooperating with authorities in that probe.

State media accused FedEx of knowingly violating Chinese laws, noting that the alleged gun was shipped during the government probe into the mishandled deliveries.

In its Sunday evening newscast, China Central Television said FedEx must be severely punished for actions that have "gravely harmed China's public security" and "definitely aren't occasional operational errors." It called on the U.S. company to cooperate with the investigation and account for its behavior.havior.

Write to Chun Han Wong at chunhan.wong@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

August 18, 2019 20:24 ET (00:24 GMT)

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