Tokyo prosecutors said Monday they have decided not to indict two Chinese women for fraud in a case that garnered attention due to their ties with an organization that a rights group has described as a Chinese overseas police station.

The prosecutors did not explain the reason for their decision regarding the two former senior officials of the organization. In February, the women were referred to prosecutors over fraudulent COVID-19 relief fund claims.

An official registry shows the organization was established in 2018 to promote cooperation among overseas Chinese individuals and businesses.

The worldwide presence of Chinese covert police stations, used to monitor the activities of its nationals, was highlighted in a report released by Spain-based Safeguard Defenders in 2022.

The two women are a 44-year-old living in Tokyo's Sumida Ward and a 59-year-old in Warabi, Saitama Prefecture.

The older woman had been suspected of falsely claiming in July 2020 that her sex-related business was a chiropractic clinic run by the other woman as part of an attempt to receive 1 million yen ($6,600) in COVID-19 relief funds.

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