Parents suspected of spying for Russia ran antique shop in Slovenia

Russian spy networks are being busted all over Europe, with Germany battling a significant espionage problem.

A husband and wife used an antique business as a front for gathering intelligence for Russia in Nato-member Slovenia, according to police. 

The couple with Argentine passports were married with a child and lived in Slovenia’s capital Ljubljana where they ran the antique company and an estate agent, officials said. 

The two agents had “illegally obtained foreign personal documents and a false identity and carried out covert intelligence activities”, Drago Menegalija, police spokesman, said on Monday. 

It is the latest bust on Russian spy networks in Europe, and comes as Germany in particular appears to be battling a significant espionage problem.

The alleged spies, identified as Argentine nationals Mario Roso Mayer Munos and Ludwiga Gischa, ran several companies, according to the 24ur.com website, and were reportedly arrested at the office of their antique firm in the centre of Ljubljana.

This is not the first time Russian spies with alleged fake Latin American passports have been outed.

In October, Norway arrested Mikhail Mikushin, who reportedly worked for the Russian military intelligence agency GRU and operated under the identity of a Brazilian academic who took part in a research programme at a local university.

In July, the Netherlands identified a member of Russia’s military intelligence who had posed as a Brazilian citizen and tried to land an internship at an international court that investigates war crimes.

Police in Slovenia said the two suspects were arrested last month on suspicion of spying but would not initially say which country they were accused of working for.

The arrests “prevented harmful consequences for the country’s national security, its political, economic and security interests as well as international security,” Mr Menegalija said.

Spying in Slovenia is punishable by up to eight years in prison. Local media said the alleged spies had a child in a local school in Ljubljana.

EU nations have stepped up efforts to uncover clandestine Russian agents since the start of the invasion of Ukraine last year.

Just last week, a German citizen was arrested in Munich on suspicion of passing classified information to the Russian government.