Gang behind £30m cash-smuggling operation jailed

Members of a criminal gang who smuggled almost £30m in cash from the UK to Dubai through airports including Manchester and Birmingham have been jailed.

Passing sentence at Bolton Crown Court, Judge Abigail Hudson described the offenders as a "shallow group of individuals" who "revelled in spending obscene amounts of money".

The judge said those involved were "fully aware and wholly disinterested" that the cash they were transporting came from serious criminal activity, often drug dealing.

The group used Emirates flights departing from Manchester, Birmingham and Brussels airports to transport criminal cash to the United Arab Emirates between 2017 and 2019.

Sophie Logan, 31, formerly from Derby and living in Dubai at the time of the conspiracy, was jailed for seven years and six months.

The court heard Logan worked closely with the alleged organiser, helping arrange accommodation, meals and nights out for couriers who smuggled the money. Judge Hudson described her trial evidence as "entirely dishonest and evasive".

Heather Jeffrey, 58, from Bradford, was jailed for six years and six months, while Devanyl Graham, 27, from Dewsbury, received a six-year sentence.

Lamara Noel, 34, from Bradford, was jailed for five years and Ben Royle, 32, formerly of Wilmslow and now living in London, was sentenced to four years and three months.

Meanwhile, Sheikh Jobe, 33, from Manchester, was given a six-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. He was also ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work and made subject to a three-month curfew.

Judge Hudson said Jobe had a limited understanding of the scale of the operation.

The National Crime Agency (NCA) investigation found the network collected criminal cash from organised crime groups across northern England before concealing it in suitcases and transporting it to Dubai.

The operation was aided by Emirates check-in worker Emma Rauf, 34, from Wilmslow, Cheshire, who admitted entering into a money laundering arrangement.

The court heard Rauf helped couriers avoid checks by allowing overweight suitcases containing cash to pass through check-in. When she was not working, she instructed colleagues to deal with the luggage in the same way.

Investigators found she flew to Dubai seven times in seven months while reporting sick for work and exchanged messages showing she knew the organiser was sending cash couriers on the route.

Sheldan Noel, 30, from Bradford, is due to be sentenced on 27 November, while Rauf is due to be sentenced on 29 October.

The alleged organiser, who is awaiting extradition to the UK, cannot be named for legal reasons.

NCA branch commander Jon Hughes said: "This crime group smuggled enormous quantities of cash, to remove it from the attention of law enforcement.

"Illicit cash is the lifeblood of organised crime groups, fuelling violence and insecurity around the world."

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