Chinese Operatives Deployed Water Ruse in UK Kidnap Operation
A shocking trial at the Old Bailey has heard how Chinese spies operating in the United Kingdom poured water under the door of a kidnap target in a desperate attempt to persuade her to open up. The operatives, who filmed their entire operation on body-worn cameras, pretended to be maintenance workers investigating a non-existent leak.
Elaborate Deception Captured on Camera
Footage shown to jurors revealed former Royal Marine Matthew Trickett knocking on the door of a flat in Pontefract, Yorkshire, on the evening of May 1, 2024. Trickett, who was working as an immigration enforcement officer at the time, could be heard calling out: 'Hello, ma'am, ma'am - you need to open up. We need to investigate the leak, there's water everywhere. The other residents are complying - can you please open the door?'
The target was Monica Kwong, a young mother who had left Hong Kong in 2023 with her young son. She was allegedly being pursued over claims of fraud against her influential former employer, Beijing-based businesswoman Tina Zou.
Shadow Police Operation Uncovered
Unknown to the Chinese operatives, UK law enforcement had secretly bugged what prosecutors described as a 'shadow police operation' to break into Ms. Kwong's home on behalf of China. When the team eventually forced their way into the property, police swooped in to arrest eleven people.
Among those detained were British Border Force official Peter Wai, two former Royal Marines, Tina Zou, and a retired Hong Kong Police superintendent. Wai, 38, known by the nickname 'Fatboy,' and former Hong Kong police superintendent Bill Yuen, 65, are now on trial at the Old Bailey facing charges under the National Security Act.
Sophisticated Surveillance Tactics Revealed
Jurors heard how Wai was allegedly tasked by Yuen to spy on Hong Kong dissidents, pro-democracy campaigners, and British politicians for China. Wai, who also served as a special constable with the City of London Police, had reportedly accessed the Home Office computer system while off sick or on rest days to research Ms. Kwong.
The surveillance team employed multiple deceptive tactics, including pretending to be maintenance workers checking for electrical faults and using a 'snake camera' to film under the door of Ms. Kwong's flat. In one particularly telling detail, the court heard that Wai had used ChatGPT to research 'does UK locksmith open any lock' before the forced entry.
Evidence Discovered at the Scene
When arrested inside Ms. Kwong's flat, Wai was wearing blue latex gloves similar to police issue and carrying his City of London Police warrant card along with £4,000 in £50 notes in a leather manbag. Prosecutors revealed that a fake City of London Police ID card, ranking Wai as a superintendent, was found below a kitchen window.
During the operation, Matthew Trickett allegedly panicked when he saw police approaching and hid his mobile phone in his underpants. Trickett, who was running a private security company called MTR Consultancy alongside his Home Office job, was later released on bail but died on May 19, 2024, before the case came to trial.
Defendants Deny All Charges
Yuen, an employee of the Hong Kong Economic Trade Office in London, was arrested the day after the Pontefract incident. In police interviews, he denied any wrongdoing, describing his communication with Wai on a personal phone as mere 'chit chat.'
Both defendants deny assisting the Chinese intelligence service by agreeing to undertake information gathering, surveillance, and acts of deception under the National Security Act 2023. Wai additionally denies misconduct in public office by conducting unjustified searches of Home Office databases.
Prosecutors allege that Yuen and Wai 'put a team together' who used 'underhand means, deception and then force, to achieve their ends,' which included posing as electricians coming to repair a fuse. The trial continues as the court examines this complex case of alleged foreign interference on British soil.
