Russian spy probe in Essex sees two men and woman arrested

Two men and a woman have been arrested in Essex on suspicion of spying for Russia.

The Metropolitan Police said the trio - two men aged 41 and 46, and a 35-year-old woman - were arrested at two separate addresses in Grays on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service and taken to a police station in London. The Met added: “The country to which the allegations relate is Russia.”

Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Counter Terrorism Command, said: “Through our recent national security casework, we’re seeing an increasing number of who we would describe as ‘proxies’ being recruited by foreign intelligence services.

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“Indeed, two young British men are awaiting sentencing after they were recruited by the Wagner Group – effectively the Russian state – to carry out an arson at Ukrainian-linked warehouse. They are facing potentially lengthy custodial sentences, although, to be clear, today’s arrests are in no way connected to that investigation.

“But anyone who might be contacted by and tempted into carrying out criminal activity on behalf of a foreign state here in the UK should think again. This kind of activity will be investigated and anyone found to be involved can expect to be prosecuted and there are potentially very serious consequences for those who are convicted.”

All three have been bailed while the investigation continues. Scotland Yard said it would not disclose the nationalities of those involved.