Two Arrested in £1.6 Million Drug Cash Bust Near Birmingham
Police have snapped up two suspects aged 58 and 51 in a sweeping drug and money laundering probe near Birmingham. The men were arrested yesterday in Wilmcote, Stratford-upon-Avon, and Reddicap Heath, Sutton Coldfield.
Operation Venetic: Crackdown on EncroChat Criminals
The arrests link back to Operation Venetic, the UK’s crackdown on encrypted comms platform EncroChat. NCA officers searched several Birmingham businesses as part of the ongoing investigation.
£1.6 Million Hidden in Divan Bed Sparks Investigation
This comes after a massive £1,656,040 haul was found stashed inside a divan bed during a June 2020 raid on a flat in Kenelm Road, Sutton Coldfield. Officers also seized two kilograms of cocaine at the time.
Two other men, both 45, were arrested then and remain under investigation. Earlier this year, the NCA secured a forfeiture order, returning the seized cash to the public purse.
NCA Chief: ‘Disrupting Money Laundering Is Key’
The two latest suspects were questioned over money laundering and drugs offences and released on bail.
“These arrests are an important development in our investigation,” NCA operations boss Rick Mackenzie said. “Criminals rely on benefiting from the proceeds of crime. That’s why the NCA prioritises disrupting money laundering at home and abroad.”
