NewsOrganised Crime

More than £1m recovered from two trucks leaving the UK

Two Turkish nationals charged with money laundering

More than £1m has been recovered from two lorries trying to leave the UK. The money was concealed in the refrigerated motor housing of both vehicles on Friday morning at Dover’s Eastern Docks.

At 2.45am Border Force officers stopped the first lorry. A search revealed it was carrying approximately £830,000. Several hours later at 11am Border Force officers stopped a second lorry and discovered around £330,000.

The drivers of both vehicles were Turkish nationals and working for the same company in Belgium. Both men have been charged with money laundering.

Andrea Wilson, regional head of investigations at the National Crime Agency, said: “This was superb work by our Border Force colleagues. Money is the life blood of serious and organised crime. UK law enforcement has taken more than £1m off this organised crime group which they can no longer invest in further offending.”