A man who was caught trying to board a flight to Dubai with more than £860,000 has been convicted after he admitted money laundering offences.
Lukas Pokorny, 42, was arrested by Border Force officers at Glasgow Airport as he was about to board a flight bound for Dubai on November 8, 2020.
When officials searched three suitcases in his possession they found a large quantity of cash in each, totalling more than £860,000.
Pokorny, who is from the Czech Republic, was unable to provide keys to unlock the luggage, say who they belonged to or what they contained, police said.
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He claimed he was flying to the United Arab Emirates to stay with a friend and that the money was to allow him to teach people to jet-ski.
Officers from the Organised Crime Partnership (Scotland) charged him and he pleaded guilty to a charge under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 at the High Court in Glasgow on Monday.
The arrest was part of a joint Police Scotland and National Crime Agency (NCA) intelligence-led investigation into the export of cash from the United Kingdom to Dubai.
Detective Inspector Tom Gillan, of the Organised Crime Partnership (Scotland), said: “Targeting the movement of criminal cash and profits from organised crime groups in Scotland remains a priority.
“The arrest and conviction of Pokorny is another excellent example of the value of partnership working between Organised Crime Partnership, Border Force and National Crime Agency officers.
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“I welcome his conviction and the fact that a significant amount of laundered cash has been taken out of criminal circulation.”
Pokorny was remanded in custody pending sentencing.
The Organised Crime Partnership (Scotland) is an investigation team comprising of officers and staff from Police Scotland and the National Crime Agency.
Gerry McLean, NCA regional head of investigations for Scotland, said: “This was a significant seizure of criminal cash, the proceeds of organised crime. Taking it out has prevented that money being invested into further criminal activity, violence and exploitation on the streets of Scotland.
“Working with partners including Police Scotland and Border Force we are determined to do all we can to disrupt the flow of illicit finance.”
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