A Ukrainian man has been jailed after being caught attempting to smuggle over £2.1million in cash, including more than £1million in Scottish bank notes out of the UK.
Ruslan Kaziuk, 42, was stopped by Border Force cops at Dover on March 26, 2023, as he prepared to leave the country in a Ukrainian-registered Mercedes van. He had declared carrying just £500 in cash, but officers uncovered the vast stash packed into the van’s door panels, three cardboard boxes, and even two bags for life.
The bundles of cash were sealed in silver-taped packages and of the total cash seized, over half consisted of Scottish bank notes.
The case was referred to HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) for investigation, leading to Kaziuk’s charge under section 327 (1) and 334 of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. Kaziuk pleaded guilty to the money laundering charges on the first day of his trial in September 2023 and was sentenced to five years and eight months in prison.
The arrest forms part of Operation Destabilise, an international investigation spearheaded by the National Crime Agency (NCA) to dismantle Russian money laundering networks. The operation, which has spanned the globe from the UK to South America and Russia, has already led to 84 arrests, with many suspects now serving sentences.
Launched to target criminal cash flows supporting organised crime, Operation Destabilise has exposed the workings of two Russian-speaking money laundering networks, identified as Smart and TGR. These groups have laundered money for UK-based drug and firearms syndicates, international cybercriminals, and even Russian elites seeking to bypass Western financial sanctions.
Since the operation began, over £20million in cash and cryptocurrency has been seized from the networks, significantly disrupting their activities. The networks’ UK operations were exposed as a critical hub, with the NCA working alongside Border Force and international partners to bring perpetrators to justice.
Rob Jones, Director General of Operations at the NCA, said: “Operation Destabilise has exposed billion-dollar money laundering networks operating in a way previously unknown to international law enforcement or regulators.
“For the first time, we have been able to map out a link between Russian elites, crypto-rich cyber criminals, and drugs gangs on the streets of the UK. The thread that tied them together – the combined force of Smart and TGR – was invisible until now.
“The NCA and partners have disrupted this criminal service at every level. We have identified and acted against the Russians pulling the strings at the very top, removing the air of legitimacy that enabled them to weave illicit funds into our economy.
“We also took out the key coordinators that enabled the cash-based element of their operation in the UK, making it extremely difficult for them to operate here and sending a clear message that this is not a safe haven for money laundering.”
Security Minister Dan Jarvis added: “Illicit finance causes immense harm. Op Destabilise has exposed Russian kleptocrats, drug gangs, and cybercriminals – all relying on dirty money. The UK will continue its efforts to crack down on these networks.”
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