£800k Cash Stash Nabbed from Haringey Man at Traffic Stop
Elisian Belishaku, 32, from New River Avenue, Haringey, was caught red-handed with tens of thousands in cash during a routine traffic stop. The Met Police’s Operation Venice Scorpion team stopped his vehicle in Colney Hatch Lane, N10, on 26 May and uncovered a shocking haul of criminal cash.
Traffic Stop Uncovers Huge Cash Haul
- The vehicle Belishaku was driving was registered in Cumbria and listed as in trade.
- Belishaku wasn’t insured to drive the car and held no UK driving licence.
- Police found around £15,000 in cash bags on the backseat, which he failed to explain.
- He was immediately arrested under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
£800k Found in Underground Car Park
Police then raided Belishaku’s Haringey home. They found keys to another vehicle, parked in an underground car park. Inside that car, officers discovered a staggering £800,000 in cash stashed in shoe boxes and rucksacks.
Belishaku pleaded guilty to three counts of possessing and concealing criminal property at Harrow Crown Court on 19 November. He was first charged with possessing criminal property on 27 May and remanded in custody.
Detective Superintendent: ‘No Justifiable Reason for This Cash’
Detective Superintendent Gary Miles, head of the Met’s Economic Crime Unit, said: “The evidence was so strong Belishaku had no choice but to plead guilty. This highlights the crucial role of routine vehicle stops in uncovering serious crime.
“There is no justifiable reason for this much cash not to be kept in a bank account, unless it’s linked to criminal activity.
“Our detectives work round the clock with numerous units to tackle organised crime and we will continue prosecuting those who think they can get away with it in London.”
