Two men have been found guilty of spying for Hong Kong and the Chinese state, while a third suspect was discovered dead in a park. Chi Leung ‘Peter’ Wai, 40, of Staines-upon-Thames, and Chung Biu Yuen, 65, of Hackney, were arrested after a group targeted a woman living in a flat in Yorkshire, who had been accused of fraud by an ex-employer in Hong Kong.
The Arrest and Investigation
On May 1, 2024, the group, including Wai, Matthew Trickett, and two former Hong Kong police officers, traveled to the woman’s flat. They attempted to gain entry by pretending to be maintenance workers and pouring water under the door, claiming a leak. When she did not respond, they forced entry and were arrested by Counter Terrorism Police. Yuen, who coordinated from London, was also arrested. Wai, Yuen, and Trickett were charged; others were released pending investigation.
Detectives analyzed messages between the three suspects and established that Yuen, as head of the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office (HKETO), was in contact with individuals linked to Hong Kong authorities. He was tasked with spying and surveillance on UK-based pro-democracy campaigners. Evidence showed Wai exploited his position as a Border Force officer to access files of Chinese and Hong Kong nationals in the UK.
Although Wai claimed he was conducting legitimate private security work, messages on Trickett’s phone revealed Wai and Trickett were aware of the significance of their targets and the connection to Hong Kong authorities. The messages also showed Yuen made payments to the pair, despite his denial of involvement.
Evidence and Charges
Detectives found that requests from Hong Kong were directed to Yuen, who then tasked Wai and Trickett. For instance, a request for information about a specific person was passed from Yuen to Wai, and Wai conducted illicit checks on Home Office systems for that individual. All three were charged on May 12, 2024. However, after being released on bail, Matthew Trickett was found dead in a park in Maidenhead on May 19, 2024. An inquest is expected after the trial.
On May 7, Wai and Yuen were found guilty at the Old Bailey of assisting a foreign intelligence service under the National Security Act (NSA) 2023. The jury could not reach a verdict on charges of foreign interference. Wai was also convicted of misconduct in public office for misusing Home Office systems as a Border Force officer.
Comments from Authorities
Investigation lead Commander Helen Flanagan said: “The activity by Wai and Yuen was both sinister and chilling. Our investigation found they were spying for the Hong Kong authorities, targeting UK-based pro-democracy campaigners. It is completely unacceptable for anyone to carry out this kind of activity on behalf of a foreign state here in the UK. I hope this outcome provides reassurance to those living in the UK who may be concerned about being targeted by any foreign state, that we will do everything we can to help keep them safe.”
Commander Flanagan added: “This investigation was incredibly complex, with over 20 terabytes of data to trawl through, including thousands of messages and information in multiple languages. But despite significant challenges, we were able to show how Yuen and Wai were working with each other and that they were clearly aware this was for the benefit of the Hong Kong authorities to spy on pro-democracy campaigners here in the UK. This case should serve as a stark warning to anyone who might be involved in any private investigation work, that you must be very sure this is not being done for the benefit of a foreign state. If and where that happens, then you will likely face investigation, arrest and potential prosecution under the National Security Act. And if you are convicted, then like Wai and Yuen, you will be facing extremely serious consequences.”
Yuen and Wai are due to be sentenced at the Old Bailey on a date to be confirmed.
