Sheffield man sentenced for money laundering after being found with nearly £40,000

He was one of three men who between them were caught with £100,000 in used notes following an investigation by HM Revenue and Customs.

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Kadr Hassan, aged 47, of Hammond Street, Netherthorpe, was arrested outside a restaurant on Sandygate Road, Crosspool, Sheffield, in November 2017 and was found with two bags containing £37,860 in bundles of £10 and £20 notes.

He was arrested alongside Yousef Hassan Ismael, 35, of Brighton Road, Surbiton, Surrey, who was with him at the time.

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The month before, Ahmad Mosslem, 55, of Zenith Close, Colindale, North London, was stopped near Trowell Services in Nottinghamshire and found with a ‘bag for life’ containing £61,150 and $1,100 in cash.

The two cash seizures were linked after HMRC investigators examined the men’s mobile phones and discovered that Mosslem and Hassan had exchanged numerous calls and text messages.

Mosslem had also been seen leaving a house owned by Hassan in Manchester Road, Sheffield, on the day of his arrest.

Questioned by HMRC officers, Mosslem claimed that the money found when he was stopped was from his jewellery business.

Hassan and Ismael each said the cash wasn’t theirs and blamed the other.

HM Revenue and Customs said: “These men were caught red handed carrying cash equivalent to more than three times the annual UK salary. People involved in money laundering help to fund the illegal activities of organised crime gangs.

“We will not hesitate to seize the proceeds of crime and investigate anyone involved. We would urge anyone with information about this type of crime to report it to HMRC online, or call our Fraud Hotline on 0800 788 887.”

The three men pleaded guilty to money laundering at Manchester Crown Square Crown Court on Monday, March 2.

Hassan was sentenced to 18 months behind bars, suspended for 18 months, and ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid work.

Mosslem and Ismael were both sentenced to 18 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, and must complete 170 hours of unpaid work.