Two men and a woman have been arrested on suspicion of assisting the Russian intelligence service, the Metropolitan Police has said.

They were detained in Essex as part of a counter terrorism policing investigation.

A 41-year-old man and a 35-year-old woman were arrested at an address in Grays, Essex.

While a 46-year-old man was arrested at a separate address, also in the Grays area of Essex.

Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Counter Terrorism Command, said: “Through our recent national security casework, we’re seeing an increasing number of who we would describe as ‘proxies’ being recruited by foreign intelligence services.”

Officers carried out searches at the two addresses in Essex and all three people have since been released on police bail with conditions, while the investigation remains ongoing, police said.

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