An audacious money launderer who tried to smuggle almost £1.4 million cash out of the UK in his luggage has been jailed for more than two years.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) launched an investigation after Zdenek Kamaryt, 38, originally from Ceske Budejovice in the Czech Republic, was detained at Heathrow Airport on 8 November 2020 as he attempted to board a flight to Dubai.
Kamaryt had checked in three suitcases for the flight – each was stuffed full of vacuum-packed packages of cash totalling more than £1.3 million.
Another £50,000 was found in his carry-on hand luggage, including bundles of £50 notes stuffed inside socks.
Kamaryt initially told Border Force officers he was a currency trader and intended to use the money to buy watches.
NCA investigators found that he had purchased the vacuum packaging himself at a high street hardware store just days before trying to leave the country with the cash.
Kamaryt still had the credit card on him that he had used to buy the bags. NCA investigators also found documentation detailing how much money was in each bag.
In interviews with the NCA Kamaryt refused to say who had given him the money, or where he was due to take it.
Kamaryt was charged with money laundering offences, which he later admitted in court.
On Tuesday 9 March a judge at Isleworth Crown Court sentenced him to 26 months in jail.
The money will now be seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act and could be used to fund future proactive police operations.
NCA Heathrow operations manager Ian Truby said:
“This was a pretty brazen attempt to take money out of the country – Kamaryt’s suitcases contained very little else other than wads of cash.
“I’ve no doubt he knew this money was the profits of crime and would have ended up being reinvested in further criminal activity.
“He didn’t care about the impact.
“Cash is the lifeblood of organised crime. Working with partners like Border Force we are determined to do all we can to disrupt that flow of illicit finance and target the money launderers involved.”
A 26-year-old woman arrested at Heathrow at the same time as Kamaryt was later released without further action.
Stay up-to-date with more news from the front line by subscribing to our free newsletter. Subscribe by clicking HERE (you do not have to serve in the emergency services to subscribe).
If you have the Google News app on your phone, don’t forget to follow ‘Emergency Services News’.
Got a story? Send your videos and pictures to contact@emergency-services.news You can also find us on Twitter @ES_News_
Before you go...
We need your help. As former emergency services & armed forces personnel, we pride ourselves on bringing you important, fast-moving and breaking news stories which are free from the negative bias which is often directed at the emergency services by some sections of the mainstream media.
One of the reasons we started 'Emergency Services News' was because we became tired of reading badly informed stories about the emergency services which seemed only ever to highlight negative aspects of the job.
We want to be the unheard voice of the remarkable men and women who serve in the emergency services, NHS and armed forces. And with around 500k page views each month, we are getting there!
As income from ads, the mainstay source of income for most publishers, continues to decline; we need the help of our readers.
And remember, if you have a service, product or job vacancy that you would like to promote to our large readership, then you can buy advertising space in our articles.
You can support emergency services news from as little as £1. It only takes a minute. Every contribution, however big or small, is vital for our future.
Please help us to continue to highlight the life-saving work of the emergency services, NHS and armed forces by becoming a supporter.
