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London, UK
Two men, including a former Hong Kong police officer and a former UK Border Force officer, have been convicted of assisting a foreign intelligence service by carrying out unauthorised surveillance and information-gathering in Britain on behalf of Hong Kong authorities and China.
Chung Biu Yuen, 65, who worked at the Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office in London, and Chi Leung Wai, 40, a former special constable with City of London Police, were found guilty under the National Security Act 2023 following a trial at the Old Bailey.
The convictions were announced by the Crown Prosecution Service on May 7, 2026. Prosecutors said the pair researched and monitored pro-democracy dissidents living in the UK, who were referred to by Hong Kong-linked individuals as “cockroaches.” They gathered details including vehicle registrations, home addresses, and social media information. Bounties of up to £100,000 were reportedly offered for information leading to the capture or location of such activists.
The Hong Kong Economic and Trade Office was allegedly used as a base for organising and funding the activities. Evidence presented in court included encrypted messages, call records, digital data, and financial records showing the men were tasked, paid, and reporting back to contacts linked to Hong Kong police and government bodies.
Leung Wai was also convicted of misconduct in public office for misusing Home Office computer systems to access personal data while off duty and sharing it improperly.
Sentencing is scheduled for a future date at the Old Bailey. The jury was unable to reach verdicts on separate foreign interference charges against both men.
Bethan David, Head of the CPS Counter Terrorism Division, said the convictions send a strong message that transnational repression and foreign interference will not be tolerated on UK soil.
