Two UK men convicted of spying for China in shadow policing case
Two UK men convicted of spying for China in shadow policing case
Two men, including a Home Office immigration officer, are found guilty of spying for Chinese intelligence in a shadow policing operation targeting dissidents in the UK.
A landmark espionage case in the United Kingdom ends with convictions of two men for spying for Chinese intelligence in what authorities describe as a clandestine 'shadow policing' operation.
Chi Leung Wai, also known as Peter Wai, a Home Office immigration officer, and Chung Biu Yuen, a retired Hong Kong police officer, were found guilty of working for China by monitoring dissidents living in the UK.
Court documents show Wai used the Atlas database, the department’s central repository containing sensitive information such as passport details and addresses of foreign nationals, to track Hong Kong dissidents in Britain.
The case is described as the first known conviction for Chinese espionage in the UK.
Security experts say the breach highlights vulnerabilities in IT networks, possibly linked to remote-working policies that were common in the Home Office during the pandemic and afterwards. The incident has prompted questions about internal security and how sensitive systems are accessed by staff and contractors.
The outcome marks a significant moment in UK security relations with China and signals that state-backed spying on dissidents abroad will be pursued vigorously by investigators and prosecutors.
