The growth of private espionage companies in the UK is generating concerns about privacy and violations of the law in the name of who is willing to pay.
In the heart of the luxurious neighborhood of Mayfair, in London, between discrete buildings and elegant facades, thrives a private intelligence industry in rapid expansion.
Composed of former spions, former police, military and journalists Of investigation, these companies offer services from simple verifications of antecedent to complex surveillance operations and, according to various sources, sometimes cross the line of legality.
An investigation from the revealed that many of these companies, founded or advised by former MI6 heads and ups responsible for the security forces, operate virtually without supervision. Critics warn that this lack of regulation allows serious violations of privacy, manipulation of the judicial system and exploitation by foreign powers.
Hacking, persecution and stolen data
The private intelligence sector is growing in the United Kingdom, fueled by the prestige of ancient spies that make up the Board of Directors. These weight names serve to attract international customersfrom large companies involved in disputes to oligarchs looking for influence or protection.
Much of the activity of these companies involves routine tasks, such as checking if anyone is on a list of sanctions or has been negative coverage from the press. According to an anonymous source of the sector, this work is usually done by newly graduated young people “is not very well paid or exciting.”
The functions that are well paid involve others involve highly questionable or illegal practices as covert surveillancedata theft and, in extreme cases, computer piracy. This type of methods was even used in 2017 by the company Israelite Black Cube, who spied on journalists and used fake identities to obtain information about Harvey Weinstein accusers.
An industry professional states that “all the typical techniques you can imagine from a Tom Clancy novel” are at stake. Hacking requests are not uncommon and there is a Culture of Secretism and Tolerance ethically doubtful conduct. Journalists, complainants and political dissidents reported that they were followed, watched and the target of intimidation campaigns.
The proximity of industry to the British legal and financial sectors makes London a pole of attraction for cases of complex disputes, often originating in Russia, Kazakhstan or other former Soviet republics. Some British intelligence companies collaborate with foreign entities to locate assets, monitor targets and influence international legal processes.
Targets filmed indoors
The absence of regulation allows evidence obtained illegally to be introduced into the courts with the endorsement – or negligence – of law firms. Some sources denounce the existence of “absurd coat stories” used to justify the origin of the data before judges in an attempt to whitening stolen information.
Victims of this type of espionage rarely have financial means to defend themselves. One of the visits reported that it was filmed indoorsthe target of computer attacks and approached with emails with highly personalized phishing schemes. Another said his family was chased by vehicles with cameras placed in front of the residence.
Privacy International warns of the serious risks this sector represents for democracy. “Scandals of great repercussion have already exposed the dangers, including the hacking of government representatives and the monitoring of environmental and human rights defenders,” added Ilia Siatitsa, a member of the organization. “Despite the overwhelming evidence of abusethe sector continues to prosper in an permissive environment. ”
Despite growing concern and some legislative efforts, the sector continues practically without mandatory regulation. There are even those who think that all mediatism around the illegal methods of mercenary spies only helps these companies raise more clients.
“When I see private intelligence companies to be prosecuted by the press or the courts for this kind of transgression, I think they will only profit from it. For a certain type of client, that’s exactly what they want to be done – and This is free marketing”, Returns a source of the sector.
