Unveiling Shadows: The Discovery of Putin’s Spy Master and His Fiendish Arsenal in Norfolk

A spy for Vladimir Putin bragged about being akin to a “James Bond character Q” prior to being discovered with a collection of unsettling gadgets in his Norfolk hideaway, a court has reported.

Orlin Roussev, 46, has admitted to operating a spy network for the Kremlin. Another individual, Bizer Dzhambazov, has also confessed to conspiracy to gather intelligence beneficial to an adversary.

Roussev had resided in a guesthouse on the coast of Great Yarmouth, where he accumulated a “substantial” assortment of espionage technology allegedly utilized for abduction and surveillance operations across Europe, as stated in court.

The Old Bailey also learned that he bragged to his companions about feeling like the character “Q” from James Bond while he assembled “toys” used for the espionage tasks for Russians.

He is also charged with following orders from a handler named Jan Marsalek; an individual sought in relation to a £1.6 billion technological fraud associated with a firm named Wirecard.

Law enforcement uncovered additional surveillance devices at a North London apartment shared by Dzhambazov and his partner Katrin Ivanova.

Investigators retrieved thousands of items, such as a black cap with a hidden camera, a one-liter plastic Coke bottle containing a waterproof camera concealed behind the label, along with a surveillance camera.

A micro SD card was also concealed within a plush toy of a Minion character found at the residence.

Operation Skirp confiscated 3,540 items for evidence from several locations, including 1,650 digital items.

A jury at the Old Bailey was presented with an “IMSI grabber” – a black metal box about the size of a large shoebox designed to capture phone numbers from the surrounding vicinity, boasting a remarkable value of £120,000.

Another device, the Razor II, was produced by an unidentified manufacturer and was modified to include a battery for portable use and a wi-fi interface for remote communication.

A £40,000 system dubbed “Stealth” was a black box comparable in size to a pencil case, designed for portability and concealment beneath outerwear.

The devices were deemed “law enforcement grade,” capable of intercepting or obstructing targeted mobile phone communications.

It also has the capability to detect mobile phone locations when utilized alongside a unit called the Jugular 4, valued at £15,000.

Other alleged members of the group, all Bulgarian citizens, have refuted espionage accusations.

They include Katrin Ivanova, 33, a laboratory assistant from Harrow in North London, Vanya Gaberova, 30, a beautician from Acton in West London, and Tihomir Ivanchev, 39, a painter and decorator from Enfield.