Bridgend money launderers jailed
Two Bridgend money launderers, who were stopped by HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) before they boarded a flight to The Netherlands, found themselves at a more local destination on 9th March this year: Cardiff Crown Court.
Gary Szopa and Gavin Evans had admitted converting thousands of pounds into Euros before attempting to fly from Cardiff to Amsterdam on 31st January 2005, to buy cannabis. Szopa and Evans were both sentenced to two years. 
Investigations by the Wales Regional Asset Recovery Team (RART) revealed that earlier the same day Szopa and Evans had visited a number of travel agents in the Bridgend area, converting a large sum of UK Sterling into Euros, before heading for the airport. The sole purpose of the trip was to purchase cannabis using the Euros they were carrying.
Speaking after the case Alan Brown, Operational Team Leader, Wales RART said:
"This is an excellent example of law enforcement agencies having a ‘joined up’ approach to tackling criminal activity and illustrates the effectiveness of proactively using the powers contained in the Proceeds of Crime Act.
"This seizure of cash by HMRC officers and the subsequent investigation and conviction of these individuals has kept a substantial amount of drugs off the streets of South Wales. In addition to the sentences imposed today, Szopa and Evans will also be the subject of a separate Proceeds of Crime Act confiscation hearing at which their criminal gains will be determined, and financial orders may be made against both. "
In passing sentence Judge David Wynn Morgan said:
"The persons involved in this are naïve, stupid or both. A strong sentence is required as an effective deterrent both for the perpetrators and couriers in this crime."
The court had heard at a previous hearing that HMRC officers at Cardiff International Airport stopped Szopa, 29 of Bettws and Evans, 21 from Maesteg on 31 January 2005. They were booked on a flight to Amsterdam and between them were carrying the equivalent of over £13,600 in Euros. The HMRC officers were concerned about the quantity of money they were carrying, and suspected that it could be the proceeds of criminal activity. As a result they seized the cash under the Proceeds of Crime Act pending further enquiries. It is believed that, had Szopa and Evans evaded detection and succeeded in their plans other persons would have imported the drugs into the UK by road.
This case was successfully prosecuted by the Revenue & Customs Prosecutions Office (RCPO). RCPO is an independent prosecuting authority which reports to the Attorney General, and is responsible for the prosecution of all HMRC cases in England and Wales.