Russia’s<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0military efforts and helped sidestep sanctions.<\/p>\nPosters have been put up in motorway service stations to target couriers, which warn it is “just a matter of time” before they will be arrested.<\/p>\n
The NCA’s deputy director for economic crime, Sal Melki, has warned the threat posed by this money laundering network is significant.<\/p>\n
He added: “Cash couriers play an intrinsic role in this global scheme. They are in our communities and making the criminal ecosystem function – because if you cannot profit from your crimes, why bother.<\/p>\n
\n
“They are paid very little for the risks they take and face years in prison, while those they work for enjoy huge profits.”<\/p>\n
\n
\n<\/div>
A poster put up in motorway service station toilets by the NCA. (Image:<\/span> PA)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n <\/p>\n
Mr Melki went on to warn that “easy money leads to hard time” – and earning just a few hundred pounds through laundering could lead to years behind bars.<\/p>\n
The NCA says Operation Destabilise has already had an impact in criminal circles, with some members of the network now reluctant to operate in London.<\/p>\n
Those involved in the money laundering effort have also started to charge higher fees – reflecting the difficulty of cleaning ill-gotten gains.<\/p>\n
Cryptocurrencies are often regarded as a haven for criminals because they are perceived to be anonymous, but it is possible to trace these transactions.<\/p>\n
Chainalysis is a company that monitors suspicious activity on blockchains, a type of database that keeps records of who sends and receives digital assets – as well as how much.<\/p>\n
Its vice president of communications Madeleine Kennedy told Sky News: “Public blockchains are transparent by design, which makes cryptocurrencies a poor vehicle for money laundering.<\/p>\n
“With the right tools, law enforcement can trace illicit funds – whether they’re connected to drug trafficking, sanctions evasion, or cybercrime – and use those insights to disrupt networks and recover assets.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
\n
\n<\/div>
Ekatarina Zhdanova. (Image:<\/span> NCA)<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n <\/p>\n
Last December, a global investigation led by the NCA smashed two networks whose money laundering activities were prevalent in 30 countries.<\/p>\n
Bundles of cash were seized during raids, with detectives describing Smart and TGR as the invisible link between “Russian elites, crypto-rich cybercriminals and drug gangs in the UK”.<\/p>\n
One of the network’s ringleaders, a Russian national called Ekatarina Zhdanova, is currently in custody in France and awaiting trial for separate financial offences.<\/p>\n
Security minister Dan Jarvis added: “This complex operation has exposed the corrupt tactics Russia used to avoid sanctions and fund its illegal war in Ukraine.<\/p>\n
“We are working tirelessly to detect, disrupt and prosecute anyone engaging in activity for a hostile foreign state. It will never be tolerated on our streets.”<\/p>\n
Source: \u00a0news.sky.com<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Britons buying cocaine on a Friday night could be inadvertently funding Russia’s war in Ukraine. The National Crime Agency has revealed a billion-pound money laundering network is operating in 28 towns and cities across the
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