A gang who sneaked £70 million cash out of the UK and hatched an elaborate people smuggling plot have been locked up for a total of more than 70 years. The group – which included two people from the Black County – were involved in international money laundering which saw hundreds of trips made to Dubai to transport the cash.
Gang members even tried to smuggle 17 migrants into the country in the back of a van. This included five children and a pregnant woman.
The criminal network thought they were ‘untouchable’ but were eventually rumbled by a team from the National Crime Agency (NCA). An investigation established members of the West London-based organised crime group were likely to have smuggled about £70 million in cash out of the UK – believed to be the profits from the sale of class A drugs and organised immigration crime.
They made hundreds of trips to Dubai between 2017 and 2019. About £1.5 million was seized from couriers leaving the UK but flight analysis, evidence from cash declarations in Dubai and other material seized showed the group had transported far more.
Officers from the NCA also uncovered a plot to smuggle 17 migrants into the UK in the back of a van carrying tyres in 2019. The van was intercepted by Dutch police working with the NCA before it could reach a ferry at the Hook of Holland.
Gang ringleader Charan Singh, 44, from Hounslow, was detained in a series of early morning raids across west London in November 2019. It came following weeks of surveillance, communications and flight data analysis.
Investigations proved Singh, who used to live in the UAE, paid for flights to Dubai for other members of the network so they could carry cash. He also kept a ledger showing how much had been transported and at what time.
At least 58 trips to Dubai were made by Singh and his couriers during 2017. Members of the criminal network were prosecuted in two trials Croydon Crown Court, which started in January.
Louise Smith, 36, of School Street, Brierley Hill, Dudley, and Joe Round, 34, of Blewitt Street, Pensnett, Dudley, admitted to their offending ahead of the trials. They both admitted two counts of removing criminal property.
Smith was handed a 16-month sentence, suspended for two years, while Round was handed a 12-month sentence, suspended for two years. The rest of the gang were sentenced following a three-day hearing at the Court, which concluded today (Friday, September 15).
NCA senior investigating officer Chris Hill said: “Charan Singh and his network thought they were untouchable, moving tens of millions of pounds of criminal cash out of the UK. The NCA mounted a long and complex investigation into their activities, and over a two-year period we were able to evidence their involvement in money laundering and organised immigration crime.
“The sentences handed down mark the culmination of that investigation and years of work by our officers. We remain determined to protect the public and target criminal networks operated by those like Charan Singh, and we will use the full range of tactics at our disposal to disrupt and dismantle them.”
The other defendants were:
- Charan Singh, 45, of Victoria Gardens, Hounslow, Middlesex, was convicted of conspiring to remove criminal property. He was sentenced to 12 years and six months in prison
- Valjeet Singh, 34, of Armytage Rd, Hounslow, Middlesex, was convicted of conspiring to remove criminal property and four counts of removing criminal property. He was acquitted of two separate counts of removing criminal property. He was jailed for 11 years and said to be Charan Singh’s ‘right-hand man’.
- Swander Singh Dhal, 37, of Springwell Rd, Hounslow, Middlesex, was convicted of conspiring to remove criminal property and conspiring to facilitate a breach of immigration law. He was acquitted of a separate count of conspiring to remove criminal property. He was jailed for 15 years and was said to be Charan Singh’s ‘trusted lieutenant’.
- Jasbir Singh Kapoor, 35, of Gledwood Drive, Hayes, Middlesex, was convicted of two counts of conspiring to remove criminal property. He was acquitted of conspiring to facilitate a breach of immigration law. He was jailed for nine years and six months.
- Jasbir Singh Dhal, 32, of Norwood Rd, Southall, Middlesex, was convicted of conspiring to remove criminal property. He was jailed for seven years and six months.
- Diljan Singh Malhotra, 47, of Dawley Avenue, Uxbridge, Middlesex, was acquitted of two counts of conspiring to remove criminal property. He was convicted of conspiring to facilitate a breach of immigration law and jailed for six years.
- Mircea Denes, 46, previously of Yeading Lane, Northolt, was convicted of conspiring to facilitate a breach of immigration law in his absence having absconded. He was sentenced to six years in prison in his absence. A bench warrant was issued for his arrest.
- Sundar Vengadassalm, 48, of Hadfield Close, Southall, Middlesex, was convicted of removing criminal property and acquitted of five separate counts of removing criminal property. He was jailed for 10 months.
- Amarjeet Alabadis, 31, of Springwell Road, Hounslow, admitted three counts of removing criminal property and was jailed for one year and 11 months.
- Jaginder Kapoor, 45, of Spencer Avenue, Hayes, admitted eight counts of removing criminal property. He was sentenced to three years and nine months in prison.
- Jackdar Kapoor, 50, of Hillary Road, Southall, admitted 18 counts of removing criminal property. He was sentenced to four years and six months in prison.
- Manmon Singh Kapur, 48, of Napier Court, Dunedin Way, Hayes, admitted seven counts of removing criminal property. He was jailed for four years.
- Pinky Kapur, 39, also of Napier Court, Dunedin Way, Hayes admitted one count of removing criminal property. She was jailed for 11 months.
- Jasbeer Singh Malhotra, 37, of High Trees Court, Manor Court Road, Hanwell, admitted three counts of removing criminal property. He was sentenced to one year and five months in prison.
- Vasile Costache, 55, previously of Great West Road, Hounslow, was found not guilty of conspiring to facilitate a breach of immigration law.