£100k in Suspected Criminal Cash Seized at Channel Tunnel
A man from Lancashire has been slapped with charges after Border Force officers found over £100,000 in suspected criminal cash hidden in his car.
Albanian Man Arrested at Channel Tunnel
29-year-old Ajet Balesi, an Albanian living in Ramsbottom, was nabbed on 24 January at the Channel Tunnel terminal in Kent. He was travelling with two other Albanian men, aged 39 and 31, who have since been released under investigation.
Border Force officers found the stash tucked behind the dashboard of the Mercedes Balesi was driving. The National Crime Agency (NCA) suspect the cash is from drug dealing and other illegal activities.
Investigation Expands to Greater Manchester
Following the cash find, NCA officers searched a property in Bury, Greater Manchester as part of their ongoing probe.
Charges and Court Appearance
Balesi faces charges of attempting to conceal or transfer criminal property. He appeared at Folkestone Magistrates on 26 January and was remanded in custody. His next court date is at Canterbury Crown Court on 1 March.
National Crime Agency Branch Commander Martin Grace said: “This was a substantial amount of cash, which we suspect is the proceeds of drug dealing and other illicit activity. Taking profits off organised criminals means they can no longer invest that money in further criminality, violence and exploitation. Working with law enforcement partners like Border Force we are determined to do all we can to disrupt this flow of illicit cash.”
