British authorities have arrested five people, including at least three Bulgarian nationals, who are suspected of having spied for Russia, while living in the UK. The individuals were charged by anti-terror detectives following what has been described as a “major national security” investigation.
Government officials have confirmed that the Bulgarian nationals are suspected of working for Russian intelligence. They were caught with forged documents from the UK, Bulgaria, France, Italy, Spain, Croatia, Slovenia, Greece, and the Czech Republic.
London’s police force this week announced that the arrests were made in February due to suspicions of violations of the Official Secrets Act 1911, which criminalises espionage. They have been held in prison since then and are due to appear in court in September.
The three individuals have all lived in the UK for several years and have held various jobs. One has a history of business dealings in Russia, according to the BBC, which first reported the story. Two of the three have been described as a couple, who neighbours say brought round cakes as gifts.
British counter-terror police have been open about spending more time investigating suspected espionage cases. Other such arrests have been made across the continent in recent months, often of individuals posing as South Americans, The Wall Street Journal reports. The paper points to a “widespread network of ‘illegal spies’ that Russia uses around the world, apart from its official spies that are often based in its embassies.”
