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Money launderer's stash was in washing machine

Rashid Razaq
25 Aug 2009


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.

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At least they were leaving and not entering.

- Gwilym Rhys-Jones, marbella spain, 25/08/2009 21:27
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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, 25/08/2009 18:33
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What better place for dirty money?

- Nowan King, London, 25/08/2009 17:14
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