Three arrested on suspicion of espionage for Russia

Three people were arrested on suspicion of espionage on behalf of Russia, the capital police said.

A 41-year-old man and a 35-year-old woman were arrested at Gray, Essex, the force said. A 46-year-old man was arrested in a separate address in the same area.

All three were arrested on suspicion of helping foreign intelligence service, contrary to Section 3 of the National Security Law (NSA) 2023, and they were taken to the police in London.

Meth said the country to which the allegations is Russia.

The officers searched two addresses in Essex, and all three people have since been released on recognizance with the conditions, and the investigation is ongoing, Met reports.

The CDR Dominic Murphy, Head of the Met Terrorism Department, said the force has been observed by an increasing number of people in the UK gained by foreign special services.

He added that recent arrests were not related to the case of two British men who are currently expected to sentence after applying the Russian Wagner’s wage group to carry out arson in the stock owned by Ukrainian business.

Wagner group is a private military organization that operates on behalf of the Russian state.

The UK government in September 2023 provided it as a terrorist group.