The trucker from Ireland admitted money laundering, magistrates in Caernarfon were told
A lorry driver from Ireland has admitted taking £220,000 through the Port of Holyhead. The man in his 40s was caught by Border Force officials during a spot check.
An official today told Caernarfon Magistrates the cash was found in his cab and the man admitted money laundering.
The official successfully applied for the cash to be held pending further investigations about where the money came from and was being taken.
The case came to light today as the National Crime Agency (NCA) applied under the Proceeds of Crime Act to continue to detain the seized cash for six months.
Anthony Wood, of the NCA, told the court that at 1am yesterday morning, August 15, Border Force staff at the Port of Holyhead selected an Irish HGV for a routine check.
The driver was taken to buildings known as the sheds. He said he was travelling from Ireland through Holyhead and when asked routine questions about whether he was transporting drugs or illicit cash on his lorry he said No.
But when Border Force staff searched his cab, they found five packages, the size of small footballs, containing a total of £220,000 to £225,000 in a bag. The money and a number of mobile phones and an iPad were seized. It was suspected that the cash had come from criminal conduct, said Mr Wood.
Mr Wood said the driver said he had come from Dublin and he admitted he was transporting the money “to a friend in Birmingham”.
“Unsurprisingly, he was arrested for money laundering,” said Mr Wood.
The court heard the trucker, who has not been named for legal reasons, was taken to Caernarfon Police Station where he admitted the offence. He explained that he had picked up the money “from a runner in Dublin”.
Mr Wood added: “Unsurprisingly he has not said where (exactly) he got the money from or where he was taking it to.” The lorry driver has been released under investigation.
Mr Wood applied for the detention of the money for a further six months. Magistrates chairman Sarah Foskett agreed to the request.
