Tara Hanlon admits £5m money laundering offences

A woman has pleaded guilty to money laundering offences worth over £5m after being found at Heathrow Airport with suitcases stuffed with cash.

Tara Hanlon, 30, of Pelham Court, Leeds, was arrested as she tried to board a flight to Dubai on 3 October 2020 with more than £1.9m in cash.

Appearing at Isleworth Crown Court by video-link, Hanlon admitted four of the five offences she was charged with.

She was warned to prepare for a jail term when she is sentenced on 26 July.

Border officials said the find in October was the largest individual cash seizure at the UK border in 2020.

Hanlon denied one charge of conspiracy to remove criminal property from England and Wales between 13 July and 4 October 2020.

However, she admitted three counts of removing criminal property, relating to cash amounts of £1.4m on 14 July, £1.1m on 10 August and £1m on 31 August 2020.

She also pleaded guilty to attempting to remove £1.9m in criminal property from the country on the day of her arrest.

Prosecutor Nathan Rasiah said the charges related to three trips and the failed attempt in October.

Judge Giles Curtis-Raleigh adjourned the case for sentencing on 26 July and granted Hanlon bail.

Article credit: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-57350863