Gica Rostas and his wife Marcella, both from Luton, were stopped by police in May 2020 while attempting to cross the Channel Tunnel. Officers discovered large amounts of cash that raised suspicions. Inside Mrs Rostas’ handbag was €21,300, and an additional £10,300 was found hidden in a picnic basket lining, making a total of almost £30,000 in cash seized.
During an interview with Kent Police, Mr Rostas claimed the money originated from an insurance payout received by a relative named “Superman” after a car accident, and that the funds were intended for family visits in Romania. However, he later admitted this story was false, explaining instead that the cash came from a house sale in 2008.
The couple, aged 45 and 46, were charged with money laundering at Maidstone Crown Court in October 2023. The trial was subsequently dropped with no retrial scheduled. Despite this, Kent Police’s financial investigators pursued a civil case under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
On 22 November 2024, Margate Magistrates’ Court granted a forfeiture order for the seized money. Detective Inspector David Godfrey stated: “Whilst Mr and Mrs Rostas were never convicted, they could not explain why they tried to leave the UK with so much cash. The best excuse was a relative named Superman, which was later admitted to be false.”
He added, “The Proceeds of Crime Act lets officers seize cash when the explanation isn’t believable. This helps stop crime money flowing and boots illegal profiteers out of business.”
Originally published by UKNIP.
