Three Bulgarian nationals suspected of spying for Russia while living in Britain have been arrested and charged, police have said.
The defendants were among five people detained in February after a long-running counter-terrorism investigation. Three of those were then charged with possession of false identity documents, according to the Metropolitan police, which is responsible for espionage cases.
The BBC reported that they have been accused of working for Russia's security services, as part of what appears to be an undercover cell. They reportedly held passports and identity cards from Bulgaria, France, Italy, Spain, Croatia, Slovenia, Greece and the Czech Republic.
The defendants, who were arrested under the 1911 Official Secrets Act by counter-terrorism police, knew the documents were forged and had them with "improper intention", it is alleged.
The three alleged spies are Orlin Roussev, 45, from Great Yarmouth, Norfolk; Biser Dzhambazov, 41, of Harrow, north-west London; and Katrin Ivanova, 31, of the same Harrow address.
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