Five people suspected of spying for Russia have been arrested under the Official Secrets Act.
Three of them also face other charges after being found with multiple passports from different countries.
The five arrested are:
• A 45-year-old man in Norfolk
• A 42-year-old man in west London
• A 32-year-old woman in central London
• A 31-year-old man in west London
• A 29-year-old woman in north London
The three charged under the Identity Documents Act were named as:
• Orlin Roussev, 45, of Princes Road, Great Yarmouth
• Biser Dzambazov, 42, of High Road, Harrow
• Katrin Ivanova, 32, of High Road, Harrow
Biser Dzambazov and Katrin Ivanova
The trio had 19 passports, driving licences, identity cards and residence permits from countries including the UK, France, Italy, Bulgaria, Spain, Greece, Croatia, the Czech Republic and Slovenia.
All three are believed to be Bulgarian, while Dzambazov and Ivanova are reportedly in a relationship, said Sky’s crime correspondent Martin Brunt.
Ivanova describes herself on LinkedIn as a laboratory assistant for a private health business.
A neighbour of the pair said they did not notice any suspicious behaviour and they were “very unobtrusive, you didn’t get to know them at all”.
“People have been coming and going in that place for several years now so we didn’t think anything of it,” they said.
Roussev is listed at Companies House as an officer for a company called MyTotal TV Ltd, along with two others. His LinkedIn says he used to be an adviser to the Bulgarian ministry of energy.
No information appears to be publicly available for Dzambazov.
The three of them have been remanded in custody and will appear at the Old Bailey on a date still to be agreed.
The 31-year-old man and 29-year-old woman arrested have been released on bail until September.
Metropolitan Police’s counter-terrorism command is leading the investigation.
