Three UK Men Accused of Spying for Hong Kong Intelligence Service
The indictment revealed that D5 Security Consultancy, led by Wai as director, received three payments from the HKETO’s HSBC account in the UK.
London police charged three men on May 13 under the UK National Security Act for surveilling Nathan Law, a former member of the Hong Kong Legislative Council who is targeted by Hong Kong police bounties.
Chung Biu Yuen, Chi Leung Wai, and Matthew Trickett were accused of aiding foreign intelligence services and interference, according to a Metropolitan Police press release. Yuen, known as “Billy Yuen,” is a retired Hong Kong police officer serving as the office manager at HKETO. Wai is a UK Border Force Officer and director of D5 Security, while Trickett is an Immigration Enforcement Officer and private investigator.
Yuen assigned tasks to Wai and Trickett involving intelligence gathering, surveillance, and entry into a British residence. Payments received by the two defendants were from the HKETO’s account and were confirmed through invoices to the office.
Further investigations showed that the defendants engaged in hostile activities before the enactment of the UK National Security Act. One instance involved monitoring Nathan Law as discussed in cell phone chats dating back to 2021.
Financial scrutiny revealed that D5 Security Consultancy, run by Wai, received three payments totaling £95,500 from the HKETO’s account between June 5, 2023, and Jan. 31, 2024. These funds were promptly transferred to various individuals, including Trickett and MTR Consultancy, a company linked to Trickett.
In their defense, Yuen denied ties to intelligence services, attributing security duties to Wai due to heightened protests outside HKETO since 2019. Trickett acknowledged knowing Wai from the UK Border Force and confirmed working for HKETO, meeting Yuen in the process.
The case also featured detailed surveillance reports, including activities against Nathan Law, conducted by Trickett. Hong Kong’s Chief Executive, John Lee, responded to the incident, assuring the normal operation of the HKETO and dismissing allegations against the SAR government.
Dr. Lin Bin, a Hong Kong democracy advocate, highlighted historical instances of Hong Kong engaging in espionage, citing past cases such as John Tsang Siu-fo. He emphasized the ongoing monitoring of dissenting voices, echoing previous experiences of government surveillance.
Contributions from Leo Cheung enriched the report with further insights and perspectives.
