In a notable case of money laundering, 49-year-old Simonas Moise has been sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison for attempting to smuggle around £720,000 out of the UK. The incident, which occurred on Monday, June 6, 2023, unfolded as Moise was trying to leave the UK via the Channel Tunnel.

Moise’s van attracted the attention of security staff, prompting Kent Police officers to search. They discovered approximately 90 separate bundles of cash concealed in a secret compartment within the side panelling of the seemingly empty van.

Arrested at the scene, Moise, who has no fixed address, claimed during his interview that he was transporting the money on behalf of a contact in Romania. Despite his assertions that the cash was not linked to criminal activity, he was found guilty of money laundering following a trial at Canterbury Crown Court.

Detective Constable Gemma Simpson of Kent Police’s Border Investigations Unit commented on the case, highlighting the defendant’s awareness of the criminal nature of the money. She expressed satisfaction with the jury’s ability to see through Moise’s lies and the subsequent justice served.

The seized cash from Moise has already been forfeited under the Proceeds of Crime Act during a court hearing in September. The funds will be redistributed to agencies, including Kent Police, under the Asset Recovery Incentivisation Scheme, supporting law enforcement efforts in tackling such crimes.