Singaporean woman caught smuggling gold bars for organised crime syndicate
In a significant bust, a Singaporean woman was caught attempting to smuggle gold bars worth £650,000 (S$1.2 million) through Heathrow Airport in 2020. The gold was believed to be linked to an international money laundering operation, and the UK’s National Crime Agency (NCA) seized the bars on January 22, 2022, after a thorough investigation.
The woman, who was transiting through Heathrow on her way to Chennai, India, had arrived from Singapore. She claimed that she was transporting the gold for a jeweller in Singapore to another jeweller in India. However, her journey raised suspicions due to her unusual flight route and the lack of credible documentation.
Upon further scrutiny, investigators uncovered that the invoices she presented were fake, and the supposed Chennai jeweller did not exist. After a two-day hearing at Uxbridge Magistrates, the NCA successfully obtained the forfeiture of the gold bars under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Investigations revealed that the gold was part of a larger money laundering network operating across Europe and Asia. The NCA worked closely with Indian authorities to verify the woman’s story, which ultimately proved to be false. The authorities suspect the gold was being moved through London to disguise its route and evade Indian law enforcement.
NCA Branch Commander Andy Noyes highlighted that gold is an attractive commodity for criminals due to its high value and ease of transport, making it a popular choice for money laundering activities.
