Three people have been arrested in London under the National Security Act on suspicion of assisting Russian intelligence services.

The Metropolitan Police said three men, aged 48, 45, and 44, were arrested at addresses in west and central London.

Searches are ongoing at these addresses as well as another address in west London, according to the force.

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 country to which the alleged offences relate is Russia, the Metropolitan Police said.

Commander Dominic Murphy, Head of the Counter Terrorism Policing London, said: “We’re seeing an increasing number of who we would describe as ‘proxies’ being recruited by foreign intelligence services and these arrests are directly related to our ongoing to efforts to disrupt this type of activity.

“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.”

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