Nelson men sentenced after money laundering investigation (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Nelson men sentenced after money laundering investigation

1:35pm Wednesday 12th December 2012 in Pendle

THREE Nelson men, who admitted to their part in a money laundering operation, have been sentenced at court.

Mohammed Rahim, 31, Leeds Road, Nelson, Hobibe Ansar, 30, of St Pauls Road, Nelson and Shoab Mahmood, 21, of Brier Crescent, Nelson, appeared at Bradford Crown Court on Monday 10 December after pleading guilty to money laundering. Rahim was sentenced to six months imprisonment and Ansar was given nine months.

Mahmood was given a six month prison sentence which was suspended for two years and given 120 hours unpaid work. The money was confiscated under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Both Ansar and Mahmood were arrested shortly after midnight on Monday 4 July 2011 when police in Skipton tried to stop an Audi which was speeding along Keighley Road. Passenger Mahmood jumped out of the car and ran off. He was chased by officers and was seen to drop a carrier bag containing around £8k before being arrested. The driver of the car, Ansar, was also arrested.

Officers in Lancashire then carried out a joint investigation with North Yorkshire Police during which officers found the cash contained significant traced of illegal drugs. During enquiries, Rahim contacted North Yorkshire Police claiming he had given the money to Ansar and Mahmood to buy a car. However two months later Rahim was arrested and was found with cannabis and a set of digital scales. He was convicted of possession with intent to supply cannabis and was jailed for 16 months in September 2012.

DI Martin Melvin from Pennine Divisions CID said: “I hope people in Nelson are reassured that the police are committed to tackling organised crime and will do everything possible to disrupt criminals and confiscate any money which has been obtained illegally.

“Travelling criminals should be warned – we work closely with officers from our neighbouring forces and will always do everything we can to target those who travel in and out of the county to commit crime and bring them to justice.” DS Steve Menzies of Skipton CID added: “People engaged in illegal activities will be targeted. Borders between forces are not boundaries and both North Yorkshire Police and Lancashire Constabulary worked closely together in this investigation to bring an organised criminal group to justice.

“We will continue to work with our colleagues from other police forces to keep our county one of the safest in the country.”