£28,000 Cash Seized at Channel Tunnel from Suspected Smugglers
On November 7, 2020, 70-year-old Hekuran Halili from Barking, Essex, was caught carrying a stash of undeclared cash at the Channel Tunnel terminal in Folkestone. Halili was a passenger in a car stopped by Border Force officers, who were tipped off about the suspicious behaviour.
Secret Stash Found Hidden in Driver’s Jacket
Officers were told Halili and the driver were heading to Belgium to deliver furniture to a friend. But when searching the pair, they found bundles of banknotes sewn inside the driver’s jacket lining – plus more cash than declared.
£28,000 Snatched and Forfeited Under Crime Laws
kent-police/" title="Kent Police" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Kent Police were called to the scene, and more than £28,000 was seized. The money was later forfeited under the Proceeds of Crime Act to clamp down on illegal cash movements.
Halili objected to losing his £9,258 share but skipped a hearing at Maidstone Magistrates’ Court in July 2022. The court still ruled against him, ordering him to pay £2,000 in costs.
No Charges, But No Proof Either
Neither Halili nor his driver faced criminal charges. But Detective Inspector Dave Godfrey from Kent Police’s Economic Crime Unit criticised their excuse for carrying such large sums without explanation.
“Our financial investigators use the Proceeds of Crime Act regularly to ensure ill-gotten gains don’t fund more crime. It sends a clear message – crime does not pay,” said DI Godfrey.
