The Metropolitan Police in London have arrested three men on suspicion of spying for Russia, as part of an operation led by the force’s counterterrorism command.
According to police officials, the men — aged 48, 45, and 44 — were detained on Thursday at properties in west and central London, with searches still underway at those locations and an additional site in west London.
“All three men were arrested on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service, contrary to section 3 of the National Security Act (NSA) 2023,” the Metropolitan Police said in a statement. “The country to which the alleged offences relate is Russia.”
Expanding Foreign Espionage Concerns
Commander Dominic Murphy, head of Counter Terrorism Policing London, warned that foreign intelligence services were increasingly relying on “proxies” — individuals recruited to carry out espionage or other illegal activities on their behalf.
“We’re seeing an increasing number of people being drawn into acting as intermediaries for foreign intelligence services,” Murphy said. “Anyone tempted into this kind of activity should think again — there are serious consequences for those found guilty.”
Murphy added that such investigations would be pursued rigorously, and anyone assisting a hostile state could expect prosecution under the UK’s strengthened national security laws.
Broader Context of Espionage Cases in the UK
The arrests are the latest in a series of operations targeting alleged Russian intelligence activity in Britain. Earlier this year, three Bulgarian nationals were convicted of conspiring to spy for Russia. Police said, however, that there was no connection between that case and the latest arrests.
The new detentions also follow a separate high-profile espionage case involving China, in which the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) dropped charges against two men, Christopher Cash and Christopher Berry, who had denied allegations of spying.
The UK’s Growing Counterintelligence Push
The arrests reflect the UK’s increased vigilance against foreign espionage following the introduction of the National Security Act, which came into force in 2023. The legislation expanded the government’s ability to investigate and prosecute individuals suspected of assisting hostile powers.
The three men remain in custody at a London police station as investigations continue. Officials say further details will be released “in due course” as counterintelligence operations intensify amid rising geopolitical tensions between Russia and the West.
