£28,000 Cash Seized at Channel Tunnel in Border Stop
Hekuran Halili, 70, from Barking, Essex, found himself caught with a hefty stash of cash at the Channel Tunnel terminal in Folkestone on Saturday, November 7, 2020.
Furniture Delivery or Money Smuggling?
Halili was a passenger in a car stopped by Border Force officers. The men claimed they were heading to Belgium to deliver furniture to a friend. But officers soon uncovered more than just household goods — they found bundles of banknotes, including some sewn into the driver’s jacket lining.
Kent Police Seize Over £28,000 Under Proceeds of Crime Act
Suspicious behaviour triggered a Kent Police investigation. In total, just over £28,000 was seized and later forfeited under Proceeds of Crime Act laws. Halili’s share was £9,258.
Despite objecting to giving up his cash, Halili skipped the hearing at maidstone/" title="Maidstone" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Maidstone Magistrates’ Court on July 19, 2022. The forfeiture went ahead in his absence, and he was slapped with £2,000 in court costs.
No Charges Laid, But Questions Remain
Neither Mr Halili nor his associate were ever charged with any criminal offences,” said Detective Inspector Dave Godfrey of Kent Police’s Economic Crime Unit. “However, they failed to provide any verifiable explanation for carrying such large sums across the border.”
“Our financial investigators regularly use the Proceeds of Crime Act to stop illegally earned money funding more crime. This sends a clear message: crime does not pay.”
