Intelligence officers are set to pose as cruise passengers in a bid to prevent spies from using the low security aboard these floating hotels to pass on classified secrets abroad.

It follows the discovery by MI6, Britain’s secret intelligence service, that three international sea routes are being used regularly by individuals on “watch lists” of active and latent spies and agents.

They are said to include a husbandand-wife team who travel together using the cover of holiday voyages to deliver information.

Earlier this year the threat level was increased when CIA analysts warned it was likely classified information on the new F-35 fighter jet could slip out of Britain via this route, sources said.

Other fears concern the leaking of information on Britain’s nuclear deterrent.

Now MI6 is liaising with counterparts in Scandinavia and Europe to identify the contacts of suspected agents.

The joint operation, which has taken four months to set up, will see officers stationed on vessels bound for Norway, Sweden and Italy.

Specific meeting points have already been identified and targeted.

Once the spies disembark, sources say, they will be followed by members of each country’s intelligence services: the Norwegian Police Security Service, the Swedish Security Service and Italy’s Homeland Security and Information Agency.

A Whitehall security source said: “We have some idea of where these individuals have gone before but, of course, this can change.

“The weak link for cruise ships, from a security point of view, is that passengers are at complete liberty when they dock in foreign ports to go wherever they want. It was decided that action would be taken to stop this activity by inserting our own people on these ships. Genuine holidaymakers will have no idea of our presence, which is how it should be.

“By liaising with counterparts in these three countries, we will ensure these individuals will be followed and observed.”

No classified material involving the F-35 jet has been reported missing, the source said, suggesting the sleeper agents are acting as conduits. They memorise the information before passing it on.

“What our people need to see are items being handed over to another person or information passed in another way.

“It’s also possible they could be given something to take back with them and, of course passengers aren’t searched when boarding their ship again. All they are required to do is to show ID.”

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