Gold smuggling busted at Heathrow! A Singaporean woman caught with suspicious gold bars in her hand luggage has been exposed by the National Crime Agency (NCA).
Suspect nabbed en route to India
The drama unfolded in March 2020 when Border Force officers stopped the woman at Heathrow Airport. She had just arrived from Singapore and was passing through on her way to Chennai, India. But the bars she carried didn’t add up.
She claimed she was transporting gold from one jeweller in Singapore to another in India. Yet, no logical explanation was given for her odd travel route.
Fake invoices and a phantom jeweller
The NCA stepped in and quickly uncovered more lies. The invoices for the gold were forged, and shockingly, the Chennai jeweller didn’t exist at all. The gold bars were seized as suspected crime proceeds, but the woman was allowed to continue her journey.
Criminal mastermind network exposed
At a two-day hearing in Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on 26 January 2022, the NCA secured forfeiture of the gold under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
“Gold is an attractive commodity for criminals to move money due to its high value in small quantities,” said NCA Branch Commander Andy Noyes.
“Our investigation showed these bars were linked to a money laundering network active across Europe and Asia. They tried to disguise the route via London to evade Indian law enforcement.”
“We worked with Indian partners to bust their story and prove the gold was criminal property. Alongside Border Force, we are committed to stopping illicit cash flow through the UK.”
