Two money launderers have been given prison sentences after being caught with a total of more than £270,000 in illegally-earned cash.

Omerfaraz Rahman and Jonathan Oscroft were both caught with bundles of banknotes in their possession following an investigation by detectives from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate.

Rahman, 43, previously of Woodside, Gillingham, and Oscroft, 36, of Carnarvon Grove, Nottingham, pleaded guilty to money laundering offences and were sentenced to three years each at Maidstone Crown Court on Thursday 10 August 2023.

At around 5.15pm on Monday 17 September 2018, officers watched Rahman get into the passenger seat of a Porsche in a residential road in Nottingham. The vehicle was being driven by Oscroft, who travelled a short distance to a neighbouring street before Rahman exited holding a carrier bag.

He placed the bag into the boot of an Audi, which was then driven back to Medway before being stopped by police on Maidstone Road, Wigmore. He told the officers he had around £35,000 cash inside the vehicle but they discovered a total of £61,155 and seized a phone containing various images showing a large number of banknotes.

Rahman was arrested on suspicion of money laundering, which led to officers carrying out a search of his home address where they found a cash counting machine and other evidence including bank statements and notebooks with records of cash values.

The carrier bag seized from Rahman’s car contained a forensic link to Oscroft, who was arrested at his home address on Tuesday 8 January 2019. A search of his house resulted in the discovery of £212,674 cash and mobile phone evidence showing his links to the supply of illegal drugs.

Also seized was a cash counting machine and the Porsche he had previously driven Rahman in, which is suspected to have been purchased through the proceeds of crime.

Detective Inspector Ian Sanderson of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate said: ‘Most people do not keep vast quantities of cash hidden in their home or car unless they have something to hide. In the case of Omerfaraz Rahman and Jonathan Oscroft, they were trying to hide the fact that they are criminals.

‘Neither man had the legitimate means to have as much money as they did, and together with the other evidence obtained throughout the course of this investigation it was clear the cash had been obtained through illegal means.

‘I hope this case sends a strong message to others that we have our eyes and ears everywhere, and that if you are making money through illegal means then your offending will catch up with you in the end.’