Birmingham Money Laundering Gang Uncovered by Suspicious Daily Post Office Visits
A sophisticated money laundering operation that saw criminals deposit up to £200,000 daily through Birmingham Post Office branches has been dismantled, with three men receiving prison sentences for their roles in cleaning £17 million of illicit funds.
The Operation That Raised Red Flags
Shazad Jahan, 45, from Bordesley Green, and Sajid Nawaz, 59, from Kitts Green, were part of a four-person team that made more than ten daily visits to different Post Office locations across east Birmingham. Their frequent transactions and substantial cash deposits during 2021 and 2022 eventually triggered suspicions that led to a major police investigation.
The West Midlands Police Regional Economic Crime Unit launched a complex investigation that revealed the group had laundered approximately £17 million in just one year through professionally organised criminal activities.
How the Money Laundering Network Operated
The investigation uncovered that Jahan directed the entire operation, establishing a WhatsApp group called "Action" that contained detailed instructions about which Post Office branches to visit and specific amounts to deposit at each location. Police discovered that Nawaz was apprehended inside a Birmingham Post Office with £15,000 in a carrier bag ready for deposit, while another £85,000 was found in a cardboard box in his vehicle.
Detectives followed the money trail meticulously, discovering that once cash was deposited into initial accounts, it was quickly transferred to other business accounts specifically created for money laundering purposes. Jahan was found to have accessed these accounts online to facilitate the transfers, while Nawaz was caught carrying the bank card linked to one of the laundering accounts.
The Investigation and Arrests
Police arrested two suspects in June 2021 at a Birmingham Post Office, with Jahan subsequently arrested at Birmingham Airport in May 2022 after returning from Dubai. During searches of properties linked to Jahan, officers seized phones containing login details for the company bank accounts used in the laundering scheme.
The investigation identified Naveed Gul, 47, from Peterborough, as a director of one of the companies established solely for money laundering purposes. Gul controlled a business bank account through which more than £2.5 million was deposited and transferred, despite his claims of having no knowledge of the transactions.
Court Sentencing and Financial Recovery
All three men pleaded guilty to money laundering offences relating to over £3 million and were sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on January 23. Jahan received a prison sentence of five years and five months, while Gul was jailed for four years and three months. Nawaz received a two-year prison sentence suspended for two years.
Police have successfully recovered close to £1 million of the laundered funds through various enforcement actions:
- Eight account freezing orders resulted in £867,000 being forfeited
- A London-based cryptocurrency exchange involved in laundering proceeds was forced out of business
- An organisation providing banking platforms to the group collapsed into administration following referral to the Financial Conduct Authority
- £100,000 in cash was seized during arrests, with an additional £9,000 recovered from property searches
Police Statement and Ongoing Efforts
Senior investigating officer Jonathan Jones from the Regional Economic Crime Unit stated: "These sentences result from a lengthy and complex investigation, demonstrating our commitment to pursuing financial criminals. The group may have believed they could evade detection, but our investigators persistently followed the money trail to uncover businesses established specifically for layering illicit funds."
He added: "Through collaboration with various private and public partners, we've seized approximately £976,000 while securing criminal charges against those involved. This case sends a clear message that anyone attempting to cheat the financial system will face justice."
West Midlands Police encourage anyone with information about financial crime or money laundering to contact them via 101 or through the Live Chat function on their official website.
