A SOLICITOR who masterminded the distribution of stolen travellers cheques after a £1.2million theft from Heathrow Airport was snared by undercover police.

Blackburn man Yasin Mohamed's career lay in ruins today after he was jailed for 18 months for his part in the scam.

He co-ordinated deals from the offices of his solicitor's practice and was arrested after selling £15,000 of stolen cheques to an officer posing as a buyer.

The scam was committed after a consignment of 22 packages of travellers cheques was delivered to Heathrow Airport on April 7, 1999 ready for dispatch to New Delhi.

It was discovered that one box -- containing 22,000 cheques with face values of 20 and 100 dollars -- was missing.

Lancashire Police became aware of the cheques being offered for sale in the North West and set up 'Operation Wichita.'

It concluded at Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester, yesterday when Mohamed, 29, of Ash Street,Blackburn, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to handle stolen goods. The court heard he will be struck off the lawyers register.

Two brothers and former clients of Mohamed -- social worker Mohammed Afzal Dad, 31, and jobless Mohammed Akram Dad, 29, both of Oldham, admitted similar charges and were sentenced to 240 hours community punishment.

The court heard that two undercover officers, known as Eddie and Jill, posed as potential buyers and met Mohamed, who was running his own law firm in Grange Street, Oldham, after moving from a Blackburn law firm.

A series of meetings at the offices of Yasin and Co were secretly taped.

Miss Heather Lloyd, prosecuting, told the court Eddie said he wanted to buy some cheques and Mohamed said he would sort it out.

Mohamed made several phone calls and told Eddie and Jill to meet him later that evening in the car park of a nearby mill.

At 9.45pm, Akram Dad arrived with 6,300 American cheques.

He told Eddie he had dressed smartly for the meeting as he "didn't want to look like a gangster."

The serial numbers of the cheques were matched to those stolen from Heathrow.

Further purchases were made and Afzal was also involved in the hand-overs.

Miss Lloyd said: "It was plain Yasin Mohamed was a middle man with a degree of control. He was able to try to influence the availability and the price of the travellers cheques and who would get them."

Mohamed was arrested in his offices on August 21 and initially denied any knowledge of the cheques. He later admitted phoning Eddie twice to arrange a purchase.

The Dad brothers were arrested on August 30.

Mr Peter Warne, defending, said Mohamed had been a reluctant participant in the scam.

"He committed the offences under a background of pressure. There is no evidence of financial gain.

"It may well be the vision of perceived glamour that was the catalyst which made an otherwise honest and hard-working man fall into the hands of those willing to deal in cheques.

"He now faces ruin himself while the prime movers in the scheme move back into the shadows."

Passing sentence Judge Peter Lakin told Mohamed: "You have let down yourself, your family and community and also your profession as a solicitor.

"On any view you involved yourself in a commercial scheme for the disposal of the stolen travellers cheques."

Outside court Detective Inspector Peter Tracy from Lancashire Police said: "This has been a long-running inquiry which has proved extremely complicated.

"Inquiries have been conducted throughout the North West of England.

"A number of potential new leads will now become the subject of further police inquiries."