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A money launderer was jailed today for trying to smuggle more than £600,000 out of the country - in a washing machine.
The Old Bailey heard how courier El-Hassan Bouhafna, 45, was stopped at Dover on his way to Morocco with £80,000 stashed in a secret compartment in his cab.
He had been paid £5,000 to make the delivery by crime boss Karim Bernia, 39, who had also filled a washing machine with money and loaded it in Bouhafna's van.
Bernia, of Canning Town, admitted attempting to launder £685,000. He was jailed for four and a half years.
Fellow Moroccan Bouhafna, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to smuggling £85,000 and was jailed for 21 months.
Reader views (3)
At least they were leaving and not entering.
- Gwilym Rhys-Jones, marbella spain
If they had used 500 euro notes they could have got the lot in a microwave. Perhaps keeping to a limit of £50 notes is doing us a favour.
- Jack Spratt, Richmond, Surrey
What better place for dirty money?
- Nowan King, London
