Police in Cumbria have seized £39,000 in cash from a taxi travelling south on the M6, amid suspicions it was linked to criminal activity.
The stop took place on Saturday, 19 July, near Carlisle, where officers pulled over the vehicle, which had set off from Glasgow. The large sum of money was found hidden in a tightly wrapped package inside the spare wheel compartment of the boot.
A financial investigator told Carlisle Magistrates’ Court at Rickergate that the taxi was stopped because officers believed “something untoward was going on.” Separate interviews with the driver and passenger revealed conflicting accounts of their journey, raising further suspicion.
According to the investigator, the driver claimed he was delivering the package to someone in London. However, the passenger insisted he had no knowledge of the cash, stating he had simply been asked to collect the parcel in Glasgow.
Officers noted that taxis are sometimes used by organised crime groups to move illicit items across borders, particularly between Scotland and England.
Magistrates were satisfied there were “reasonable grounds to suspect the money was linked to crime, or intended for some criminal purpose.” Under the Proceeds of Crime Act, they granted police permission to retain the cash for a further six months while investigations continue.
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