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Tag: National Crime Agency

  • Businessman jailed over bomb plot to terrorise defence attorneys

    Businessman jailed over bomb plot to terrorise defence attorneys

    A businessperson who was thought to be part of a group that illegally moves money around has been sent to prison for sending fake bombs to lawyers who work for the police.

    Jonathan Nuttall, who is 50 years old, asked his personal driver to hire a former marine named Michael Broddle to secretly watch two lawyers from the National Crime Agency (NCA), Andrew Sutcliffe KC and Anne Jeavons.

    According to a court, he planned a scheme in which Broddle placed devices with Mr Sutcliffe’s name on them in London’s legal district in 2021.

    Someone left one thing near a bench, and another thing outside the offices where Mr. Sutcliffe and Ms. Jeavons work

    The first item, discovered by a porter, was determined to possibly be a bomb because it had a smoke grenade inside.

    The second thing or plan was not going to work, but a smoke bomb was used instead to create a lot of fear or panic.

    The lawyers represented the NCA (National Crime Agency) when they tried to take away £1. 4 million of belongings from him in a legal case at the High Court.
    In 2019, it was agreed in court that Amanda, the wife, would pay £1. 4 million to the NCA. This settlement did not involve admitting any guilt.

    She borrowed money to pay for the agreement, but the NCA did not want to take the cash because they were worried it may have come from illegal activities.

    So, the agency wanted to take back Nuttall’s fancy house called Embley Manor in Hampshire.

    The judge, Simon Mayo KC, sentenced Nuttall to eight years and two months in jail. He described the attack as malicious, bold, and very serious towards the people involved in the justice system.

    You were supposed to disrupt the justice system.

    I am completely certain that you wanted to cause serious harm through your planned actions.

    It is very obvious that if those devices were left behind, many people would get scared and things would become very chaotic.

    Mr Sutcliffe said in court that he was very surprised to be targeted in a way similar to how the Mafia operates, and he had never heard of anyone trying to disrupt a legal case in the UK like this before.
    He said he was very worried and upset that his family was being watched.

    Ms Jeavons said she was very upset and scared by a campaign that had a big effect on her and her family.

    Nuttall and his driver, Michael Sode, aged 59, were found guilty of planning with Broddle, aged 47, to put an article somewhere on purpose.

    Nuttall was found guilty of not following a notice, and Sode was also found guilty of a similar charge.

    Sode got put in prison for six and a half years, while Broddle got put in prison for seven years.

  • Presidential adviser detained in UK on suspicion of gem bribery

    Presidential adviser detained in UK on suspicion of gem bribery

    The chief of staff for the president of Madagascar has been accused of asking a gem mining company for a bribe in the UK.

    Romy Andrianarisoa and a companion are accused of offering permits in Madagascar for about £225,000 to the British company Gemfields.

    She and her friend Philippe Tabuteau are accused of asking for, consenting to receive, or taking a bribe.

    After a brief court hearing on Saturday, both were ordered to remain in detention.

    The National Crime Agency (NCA) has accused Ms. Andrianarisoa, 46, and Mr. Tabuteau, a 54-year-old French national, of attempting to get a 5% ownership stake in any initiatives undertaken by Gemfields Madagascar.

    According to the agency, the two were detained on Thursday afternoon in central London’s Victoria neighbourhood at a meeting when they were allegedly trying to solicit bribes.

    Head of the NCA’s international corruption division Andy Kelly stated: “I am grateful to Gemfields for bringing this matter to our attention and for their ongoing cooperation with the investigation.”

    Ms. Andrianarisoa and Mr. Tabuteau were both remanded in custody after their court appearance on Saturday and are scheduled to return on September 8 at Southwark Crown Court.

    The alleged crimes’ licences were not identified by the NCA

  • UK and Turkey join forces against ‘people-smuggling gangs’

    UK and Turkey join forces against ‘people-smuggling gangs’

    The UK and Turkey have reached a new agreement to combat people-smuggling networks as well as address illegal migration.

    The partnership involves establishing a “centre of excellence” in Turkey to enhance collaboration and intelligence-sharing between law enforcement agencies.

    The deal aims to disrupt the supply chain of parts for small boats used in illegal crossings through Europe.

    However, the agreement does not include provisions for returning failed Turkish asylum seekers.

    The centre of excellence, to be set up by the Turkish National Police, will facilitate the rapid sharing of intelligence, enabling swift actions based on information received.

    Additional officers will be deployed to Turkey to facilitate cooperation between the UK’s National Crime Agency, Home Office staff stationed in the country, and their Turkish counterparts.

    A memorandum of understanding will also expedite the exchange of customs data and intelligence.

    The Home Office emphasized that small boats and their components play a crucial role in smuggling operations, with hundreds of parts estimated to be transported across Europe each year for this purpose.

    While there has been an increase in the number of Turkish nationals crossing the English Channel to the UK in recent months, Turkey and the UK lack a formal returns agreement.

    However, there are indications that progress might be made in this area during the upcoming UK-Turkey Migration Dialogue meeting scheduled for the autumn in London.

    The European Union has a returns agreement with Turkey, which facilitates the return of migrants crossing into the EU from Turkey.

    Since Brexit, the UK is no longer part of such arrangements between EU countries and other nations.

    Immigration Minister Mr. Jenrick stated that the UK’s previous experience with returns arrangements within the European Union was not satisfactory.

    While the UK desires to collaborate with the EU, there is a recognition that previous arrangements had shortcomings.

    In response, Yvette Cooper, Labour’s shadow home secretary, advocated for a fresh and all-encompassing agreement involving the European Union, France, and neighboring countries.

    Cooper emphasized the need for enhanced security cooperation with European partners to effectively address the challenges posed by people-smuggling networks.

    Home Secretary Suella Braverman reiterated the UK’s commitment to combating people smuggling and illegal migration.

    She emphasized the necessity of dismantling people-smuggling gangs and preventing illegal crossings, echoing the government’s stance on prioritizing efforts to address these issues.

    The UK aims to strengthen its security cooperation with European partners and combat the activities of people-smuggling gangs in collaboration with Turkey and other countries.

    “As I’ve made clear, we must do everything we can to smash the people smuggling gangs and stop the boats,” said Home Secretary Suella Braverman.

    Our law enforcement agencies will be able to collaborate on this global issue and address the small boat supply chain thanks to our collaboration with Turkey, a close neighbour and ally.

  • Christopher Behn, confesses to 21 further sex abuse charges

    Christopher Behn, confesses to 21 further sex abuse charges

    A convicted paedophile has admitted to committing 21 further cases of international sexual assault on young boys.

    For molesting 11 children in Myanmar in 2016, Christopher Behn, 68, of Colchester, is already serving a nine-year prison sentence.

    The fresh accusations centred on the maltreatment of boys in Vietnam, ages six to eleven.

    Next month, Behn—whom authorities called a “committed and prolific transnational child sex offender”—will receive his punishment.

    By using a video link, the retired engineer appeared in person at Chelmsford Crown Court from HMP Albany on the Isle of Wight.

    Behn was recognised by investigators from the National Crime Agency (NCA), Europol, and Dutch police as a member of a network operating across Europe that travelled together to abuse children all over the world.

    He was detained at Gatwick Airport in February 2020 when detectives noticed him in photos with a Dutch national who had been found guilty in his home country.

    Officers stopped Behn from boarding a plane bound for Vietnam.

    From encrypted electronic devices, photos taken by Behn showing him molesting children were retrieved.

    According to the NCA, he has travelled to Thailand, the Philippines, Laos, Cambodia, India, and Myanmar in addition to Vietnam 18 times since 2006.

    Additionally, the abuse that he and the Dutch national had perpetrated together on numerous of these excursions was recounted in graphic detail in their journals.

    The NCA claimed that Christopher Behn and his network “conspired via encrypted chats in the hope of concealing their horrific offending.”

    Behn was additionally charged in June of this year with 23 charges of inducing a child to engage in sexual activity and sexual abuse between the years of 2008 and 2018.

    Two of the charges, which he rejected, will not be the subject of a trial.

    Behn was described as “a committed and prolific transnational child sex offender, who dedicated years of his life to this criminal network” by Phil Eccles, NCA operations manager.

    “Behn and his like-minded friends conspired together via encrypted chats in the hope of concealing their horrific offending from law enforcement,” he added. “Behn and his like-minded friends conducted their offending in remote parts of the world.”

    The agency reported that investigations were still going on in several European nations and that it has identified an additional five males who were based in the UK and thought to have connections to the network.

  • Married couple attempted to flee the UK with £200,000 in cash while it was under lockdown

    Married couple attempted to flee the UK with £200,000 in cash while it was under lockdown

    During the lockdown, a married couple attempted to transport more than £200,000 out of the UK, but they got off easy.

    In May 2020, Ardian Sharra, 51, and Valbona Laloshi, 41, had their Mercedes pulled over at the Folkestone, Kent, Channel Tunnel port.

    The Tring, Hertfordshire, natives claimed to be traveling with their three kids to see family in Brescia, Italy.

    They stated that they had £5,000 in the car, which they said was for local dental care.

    But Border Force officers found another wad of £14,000 in Laloshi’s handbag and more than £200,000 hidden in a rucksack and suitcase in the boot.

    National Crime Agency investigators searched the couple’s home and found documents detailing dozens of large cash deposits into their bank accounts.

    They had paid more than £110,000 into their accounts in 2019 – more than five times their legitimately declared income for the year.

    Sharra had bought the Mercedes for £11,000 in cash just two months before.

    The couple admitted money laundering offences mid-way through their trial at Canterbury Crown Court.

    Sharra was given an 18-month suspended sentence and 200 hours of unpaid work, while Laloshi got a 12-month community order and 50 hours of unpaid work.

    The cash will now be forfeited as proceeds of crime.

    NCA Branch Commander Mark Howes said: ‘This couple lied about the cash from the moment they were caught, initially telling officers it was for dental work in Italy, then claiming it was for a property purchase.

    ‘Our investigation showed they were using their various bank accounts to make criminal cash appear legitimate.

    ‘The NCA is determined to target criminal cash flows and prevent organised crime gangs benefiting from their illicit profits.’

  • Russian businessman arrested in oligarchs investigation

    A Russian businessman has been arrested at his multi-million-pound London home by officers investigating potential criminal activity by oligarchs.

    The man, 58, was held on suspicion of money laundering, conspiracy to defraud the Home Office and conspiracy to commit perjury.

    A 35-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of money laundering.

    He was also arrested for obstructing an officer when trying to leave with a bag containing thousands of pounds in cash.

    A third man, 39, who is the former boyfriend of the businessman’s current partner, was arrested at his home in Pimlico, central London, for offences including money laundering and conspiracy to defraud.

    The National Crime Agency (NCA) said more than 50 officers from its Combatting Kleptocracy Cell were involved in the operation at the businessman’s property, where a number of digital devices and a significant quantity of cash was seized following a search.

    Graeme Biggar, director general of the NCA, said the unit, which was established this year, was having “significant success investigating potential criminal activity by oligarchs”.

    He added: “We will continue to use all the powers and tactics available to us to disrupt this threat.”

    All three of the arrested men, who have not been named by the NCA, have been released on bail.

    The NCA said it was the latest operation carried out as part of its efforts to disrupt the activities of corrupt international business figures and their enablers.

    Almost 100 “disruptions” – actions that remove or reduce a criminal threat – have been carried out against Putin-linked elites and their enablers, including account freezing orders (AFOs) over accounts held by people closely linked to sanctioned Russians, according to the NCA.

  • British headteacher who coached 131 children worldwide jailed for 20 months

    A British headteacher who groomed at least 131 children worldwide using social media while working at a school in Iraq has been jailed for 20 months.

    Using Facebook Messenger, Nicholas Clayton, 38, of The Wirral, made contact with kids as young as 10 and requested their images with the intention of sexually abusing them.

    He was apprehended after paying a 13-year-old Cambodian boy to come to Malaysia so they could meet and asking the boy for pictures of his bare upper torso.

    When he returned to the UK, the National Crime Agency (NCA) detained him after receiving information about the communication.

    Investigators found Clayton had been messaging hundreds of boys from across the globe, spanning the Philippines, Sri Lanka, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Iraq, Morocco, Turkey and others over a period of just three months.

    He appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on 23 August where he admitted three counts of sexual communication with a child under 16 years and one charge of inciting the sexual exploitation of a child.

    On Tuesday, he was sentenced to 20 months imprisonment and made the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for 15 years.

    New Facebook plans will ‘hide similar predators’

    The case has prompted fresh calls for a “robust” Online Safety Bill, with the NSPCC warning plans by Meta, which owns Facebook, to introduce end-to-end encryption will “blindfold” authorities to similar predators.

    Andy Burrows, head of child safety online policy at the charity, said: “Clayton’s case highlights the ease with which offenders can contact large numbers of children on social media with the intention of grooming and sexually abusing them.

    “Private messaging is the frontline of child sexual abuse online. It’s therefore concerning that Meta plans to press on with end-to-end encryption on Facebook Messenger, which will blindfold themselves and law enforcement from identifying criminals like Clayton.

    “The UK government can show global leadership in tackling online child abuse by delivering without delay a robust Online Safety Bill that embeds child protection at the heart of every social media site.”

    New Culture Secretary Michelle Donelan has previously said there are no plans to water down the proposals for new internet safety laws, which Mr Burrows welcomed as “really encouraging”.

    Hazel Stewart, from the NCA, said: “Nicholas Clayton abused his position of trust as a headteacher by attempting to sexually contact and exploit children, using technology to access hundreds of potential victims across the globe.

    “Clayton was very cautious and careful in his communications, making them appear to be innocent, but as NCA investigators we could see the patterns of predatory grooming he was using on vulnerable children.

    “Protecting children from sex offenders is a priority for the NCA, and we continue to pursue criminals in the UK and internationally to ensure abusers like Clayton are held to account.”

    Facebook ‘taking our time to get it right’

    A Facebook spokesperson said: “We have no tolerance for child exploitation on our platforms and are building strong safety measures into our plans.

    “We’re focused on preventing harm by banning suspicious profiles, defaulting under-18s to private or ‘friends only’ accounts, and more recently introduced restrictions that stop adults from messaging children they’re not connected with.

    “We’re also encouraging people to report harmful messages to us so we can see the contents, respond swiftly and make referrals to the authorities. As we roll out this technology we’re taking our time to get it right and working with outside experts to help keep people safe online.”

    Source:Skynews.com