Jail sentences for money-laundering pair
TWO ROTHERHAM men caught on a Bolton street with almost £92,000 of criminal cash have been sentenced for money laundering.
Riyaz Atcha, 38, of Bolton, and Zaheer Ahmed, 32, of Rotherham, were caught red-handed by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) officers in May 2015.
The men admitted handling the ‘dirty’ cash after Ahmed passed Atcha a bag containing £11,700 as they sat in a parked car.
In the back of the vehicle, two children were sitting with their feet on bags containing more than £80,000.
The men were caught meeting on Peace Street, Bolton and after their arrest they refused to reveal the source of the cash.
Atcha was sentenced to 16 months jail suspended for two years and Ahmed to nine months jail suspended for two years today at Bolton Crown Court.
Richard Wentel, assistant director, Fraud Investigation Service, HMRC, said: “These two were caught with bags full of cash and could offer no explanation at all for where it came from. They even brought children along to make their meeting look less conspicuous.
“Attempts to launder criminal cash are treated very seriously by HMRC. Crime doesn’t pay and we will relentlessly pursue anyone believed to be involved in money laundering to deprive criminals of their profits. “
The money was seized by HMRC officers as part of their investigation and has since been forfeited to the Crown under Proceeds of Crime legislation in separate court hearings.
