Three arrested on suspicion of being Russian spies in Grays in Essex - major national security probe

Three people have been arrested in Essex on suspicion of being Russian spies.

They were held as part of a Counter Terrorism Policing Investigation into suspected National Security Act offences, which is being led by the Met's Counter Terrorism Command.

A 41-year-old man and a 35-year-old woman were arrested at an address in Grays, Essex.

A 46-year-old man was arrested at a separate address, also in the Grays area of Essex.

All three were arrested on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service, contrary to section 3 of the National Security Act (NSA), 2023 and they were taken to a police station in London.

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.

"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."

Officers carried out searches at the two addresses in Essex and all three people have since been released on police bail with conditions, while the investigation remains ongoing.