Specialist operation targeting suspected criminal cash

A specialist Bedfordshire Police operation targeting suspected criminal cash being funnelled out of the country has seized over £200,000 since July.

This is since the National Crime Agency identified the likes of airports and other ports across the UK as potential hotbeds for this kind of money laundering activity in its most recent review of serious and organised crime.

The ongoing operation has earmarked suspected organised crime gangs looking to move their money to other countries.

Bedfordshire Police is continuing to search suspected organised crime group members in a bid to disrupt their activities, including those looking to leave the country.

In one of the most recent seizures this month nearly £30,000 in cash was found at London Luton Airport.

Official force figures show that between April and September Bedfordshire Police has carried out nearly 400 disruptions against organised criminal activity and remains focussed on targeting those who exploit vulnerability and cause harm in local communities.

Detective Chief Superintendent Duncan Young, force lead for serious and organised crime. said: "Organised crime has no place in Bedfordshire or beyond. The work currently carried out by our officers at the airport has been instrumental in disrupting the activities of organised crime gangs.

"We will continue to work with our partners and share crucial information to target criminals until they are behind bars and their financial assets are recovered."

Neil Thompson Operations Director at London Luton Airport (LLA) said: “We work closely with Bedfordshire Police to ensure we always keep our staff and passengers safe. Everyone working at the airport is trained in general security awareness and along with other measures in place, anyone attempting to commit crime at LLA has a very strong chance of detection. We will always support police in any action they take.”

For more information about what we are doing about serious and organised crime visit our website.

In addition to Bedfordshire Police officers, the Eastern Regional Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) also has specialist teams based at Luton Airport working to keep the UK’s borders safe from the threat of terrorism and organised crime. Further information on vacancies in the team can be found online here.