Two men including a former UK Border Force employee and a Hong Kong economic office manager engaged in shadow policing operations in Britain on behalf of Hong Kong authorities, a London jury heard Wednesday. Chung Biu Yuen, 64, and Chi Leung "Peter" Wai, 38, face charges under the UK's National Security Act 2023 for allegedly gathering intelligence about overseas Hongkongers with government bounties.

Prosecutor Duncan Atkinson KC told the Old Bailey that the defendants conducted surveillance on pro-democracy activist Nathan Law and forced entry into Monica Kwong's home in Pontefract, West Yorkshire. The men allegedly used deceptive tactics "as if they were a legitimate UK police operation" to gain access to Kwong's address. The case highlights Hong Kong authorities' attempts to extend their reach beyond territorial jurisdiction.

A third defendant, Matthew Trickett, was found dead in a park days after the trio were granted bail. Wai faces additional charges of misconduct in public office for allegedly accessing UK Home Office databases to search for individuals of interest to Hong Kong authorities. The trial, which began in 2024 under new anti-spying legislation, is expected to last up to nine weeks and tests the UK's response to foreign intelligence operations on British soil.