Three men charged with assisting Hong Kong intelligence

A number of arrests were made across England in connection with an investigation into national security

Three men have been charged with assisting the Hong Kong intelligence service and foreign interference.

Chi Leung (Peter) Wai, 38, Matthew Trickett, 37, and Chung Biu Yuen, 63 will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday after an investigation led to them being detained.

A total of 11 people were arrested across England under the National Security Act, the Metropolitan Police confirmed.

Eight men and a woman were arrested by officers on May 1 in the Yorkshire area, before a man was arrested in London. Another man was arrested in the Yorkshire area the following day, the force said.

Wai, of Staines-upon-Thames, Trickett, of Maidenhead, and Yuen, of Hackney, were each charged with assisting a foreign intelligence service and foreign interference.

The seven men and one woman who were not charged were released from custody on or before May 10.

Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said: “This operation is not connected to a recently reported Counter Terrorism Policing investigation linked to Russia.

“A number of arrests were made and searches carried out across England as part of this investigation.

“While led from London, the Counter Terrorism Policing network has been crucial to disrupting this activity and we have worked closely with the Crown Prosecution Service since the start of the investigation.

“While these offences are concerning, I want to reassure the public that we do not believe there to be any wider threat to them.

“This investigation remains ongoing, but now that charges have been brought, I urge people not to speculate or comment further in relation to this case.”

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know…