By Innocent Fowung (UK Correspondent)
A UK immigration officer and a former Hong Kong police official have been convicted of spying on behalf of Chinese-linked authorities in a landmark case under Britain’s National Security Act. Chi Leung “Peter” Wai, a 40-year-old Border Force officer, and Chung Biu “Bill” Yuen, a 65-year-old retired Hong Kong police superintendent, were found guilty at London’s Old Bailey of assisting a foreign intelligence service.
The court heard that the pair carried out covert “shadow policing” operations in the UK, targeting Hong Kong pro-democracy activists, dissidents, and British politicians. Their activities involved surveillance, intelligence gathering, and deception, with prosecutors saying they were acting on behalf of Hong Kong authorities and ultimately China.
Yuen, who was linked to the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London, acted as a handler, directing operations and assigning tasks. Wai used his position within the Home Office’s Border Force to access sensitive government databases, searching for personal details such as addresses and immigration records of individuals of interest and passing this information on as part of the spying operation, Channel NewsAsia reported.
The targeting focused mainly on members of the Hong Kong diaspora who had moved to Britain following the political crackdown in the territory, including prominent activists. Evidence showed the pair monitored individuals’ movements, associations, and activities in the UK.
Wai was also convicted of misconduct in public office for his misuse of official data systems. However, the jury was unable to reach a verdict on a separate charge of foreign interference linked to an alleged attempted break-in, and prosecutors said they would not pursue a retrial on that count.
Reports indicate that these offences took place between late 2023 and mid-2024 and have raised concerns about the security of government databases and the potential exposure of sensitive personal information.
According to The Independent, the UK government condemned the actions as a breach of national sovereignty and summoned China’s ambassador in response, highlighting growing tensions between the two countries over espionage and political interference.
Both men have been remanded in custody and face sentences of up to 14 years in prison, with sentencing expected at a future date.