Cash amounting to around £135,000 has been seized at Dover port and the Channel Tunnel since March 14 including thousands of pounds concealed in a ‘cash vest’ at the Port of Dover
Around £14,000 was discovered concealed inside what officers have described as a homemade ‘cash vest’ after a man was stopped at the Port of Dover on Tuesday 23 March 2021.
The man was unable to account for the money and officers discovered a further £6,000 in a car.
The 29-year-old from Bristol was arrested on suspicion of removal of criminal property. He has since been released pending further enquiries.
A suspected stolen motorcycle was also identified during officers’ enquiries at the border.
Previous cash seizures:
• On Thursday 18 March, two men were stopped at the Channel Tunnel in Folkestone, where officers found individually sealed packets of cash totalling around £60,000. As the majority of the money couldn’t be accounted for, both men were arrested on suspicion of removal of criminal property. The 42-year-old and 36-year-old from East Sussex have since been released pending further enquiries.
• In another separate incident on Tuesday 16 March, two men travelling in two separate vehicles were stopped by police at the Port of Dover. Both men and their cars were searched, which led to the seizure of around £50,000 of unexplained cash. The 34-year-old and 44-year-old from Ipswich have since been released pending further enquiries.
• On Sunday 14 March, officers found £5,000 in cash concealed inside a shampoo bottle, which was wrapped in plastic. After fully searching a vehicle they found more money which could not be explained. A 32-year-old man from London was arrested on suspicion of possession of criminal property and has been released pending further enquiries.
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Detective Sergeant Matt Whitlock said: ‘We are treating these as separate incidents, however substantial enquiries remain ongoing into the circumstances of each cash discovery. Our officers and partner agencies will continue to police the border and disrupt the efforts of organised criminals who often look for different ways of trying to hide their assets.
‘Kent Police has the power to seize cash under the Proceeds of Crime Act and recover assets which are believed to have been funded through illegal activity. We will continue to use this legislation to combat organised crime.’