China using triad members to spy on Britain as fears grow over use of brothels to blackmail MPs

Criminal syndicates generating billions through brothels and illegal tobacco sales are now receiving backing from the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), the report reveals.

The findings were compiled by David Wilson, regional co-ordinator for the organised immigration crime domestic taskforce at West Midlands police.

His research revealed deepening ties between triads and the CCP, which have transformed Chinese organised crime "from being one of a solely criminal nature to that of a national security issue".

The report warns triads could exploit their extensive network of brothels across Britain to gather intelligence, blackmail and coerce influential figures – including Members of Parliament.

Beyond sexual exploitation, the document outlines how Beijing could leverage criminal networks for cybercrime, data theft and infiltrating British institutions.

Funding political influence campaigns and bribing officials are also identified as potential avenues for CCP interference through triad connections.

Chinese organised crime groups rank as the second largest category of criminal enterprise in the UK, according to the National Crime Agency.

These syndicates have operated in Britain since the 1940s, traditionally focusing on labour exploitation, money laundering, and trafficking in cannabis and tobacco.

The report's conclusion cites the CCP's "direction" of triads, combined with the vast scale of their operations and inadequate law enforcement response, as evidence of the significant national security threat.

David McKelvey, a former detective chief inspector with the Metropolitan Police who specialised in organised crime, criticised the force for dismantling specialist units over a decade ago.

"There is clearly a very strong link between Chinese organised crime and the Chinese state," he told the Mail on Sunday, "these are the most sophisticated organised crime operations that I've seen."

Mr McKelvey warned authorities are now struggling to catch up after years of neglect.

However, a recent expansion into producing fentanyl, a class A controlled opioid, along with heightened awareness of human trafficking, has refocused official attention on the triads.

Although the report found many police forces remain unfamiliar with Chinese organised crime, with triad members escaping prosecution due to a shortage of Chinese-speaking officers.

The report follows the recent conviction of a Chinese spy ring at the Old Bailey for conducting "shadow policing" operations targeting Beijing's critics.

Peter Wai, a Home Office immigration official, and Bill Yuen, a retired Hong Kong police officer, were found guilty of spying on Chinese dissidents in Britain and senior MPs, including Sir Iain Duncan Smith.

Wai exploited remote working arrangements to access Home Office databases on his days off, passing intelligence to his handlers in China.

Evidence presented during the trial indicated the notorious triad had targeted pro-democracy activists at a UK protest in 2021.

A Home Office spokesman said: "We challenge China directly for actions which put the safety of people in our country at risk and will hold them to account."