Special Forces in Germany have detained an alleged Russian husband-wife spy team in the cities of Marburg and Balingen, Deutsche Welle reported on Saturday.
The married couple, who have not been named by authorities, are suspected of working for the Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR). The married couple, who according to their documents are from Latin America but have Austrian passports, has denied the accusations, Deutsche Welle said.
According to the news agency, the woman was detained when she was “receiving a coded radio message.”
The husband was apparently born in Argentina and his wife in Peru; however, German Special Forces during investigations were unable to prove their true birthplaces. The couple is alleged to have been spying in Germany for more than 20 years, Der Spiegel magazine reported.
The couple caught the attention of German Special Forces after the CIA uncovered a Russian spy ring in the United States last year.
Ten Russian nationals were arrested by U.S. law enforcement agents on June 27, 2010, on suspicion of being part of an espionage ring spying for Russia. They were quickly tried and flown out of the United States in an exchange for four people convicted of spying in Russia for the West.
Germany’s media outlet Focus reported the couple had contacted Anna Chapman, one of the 10 spies deported from the United States last year. According to Focus, the couple is suspected of industrial espionage.
Russia’s Foreign Ministry and SVR have so far not confirmed or commented on the accusations of the couple in Germany. The Russian Embassy in Berlin could not confirm any information.