An associate of an organized crime gang (OCG) has been found guilty of assisting in the laundering of thousands of pounds earned through dealing cocaine by transferring it into cryptocurrency. The gang traded over £4.6m worth of cocaine with the belief that converting their funds into cryptocurrency would make them “untouchable.” Ranj Hassan, 35, from Cardiff, aided the gang in laundering the proceeds of 40kg of cocaine that had been traded. Using EncroChat, the group thought they could conduct their business without attracting the attention of the authorities.
The police investigation into the OCG, named Operation Solano, revealed the roles of Joshua Billingham, 27, from Caerphilly, and Amir Khan, 31, from Cardiff, as key players in the drug trafficking operation. To conceal the operation’s extent, Billingham and Khan enlisted the help of partners, friends, and family members to assist in money laundering while serving prison sentences for other offenses. During the conspiracy period, cryptocurrency transactions totaling US$2.85m were made in associated accounts, with withdrawals amounting to US$2.38m.
In 2020, Gwent Police discovered two hydraulic presses at a flat in Caerphilly, which were used in the packaging and distribution of cocaine. The flat also contained evidence of cocaine cutting and packaging activities, including half a kilo of cocaine, six kilos of cutting agent, and related paraphernalia seized by the authorities. Prosecutor Ffion Tomos highlighted that the criminal proceeds needed to be laundered, with Hassan and others hiding the funds from law enforcement agencies through Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies, attempting to render the money untraceable.
Hassan, residing in Soudrey Way, Butetown, was responsible for converting $114,167 (approximately £86,000) into cryptocurrency and transferring an additional £5,000 to another bank account. Upon his arrest at his car wash business on City Road in February 2023, Hassan claimed the financial transactions were related to car purchases. He later admitted to concealing, converting, and disguising criminal property. With previous convictions for possessing an offensive weapon and failure to surrender, Hassan was sentenced to seven months’ imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, and was ordered to perform 120 hours of unpaid work, along with a 12-day rehabilitation activity requirement. Additionally, he is subject to Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) proceedings.
The court’s sentencing judge, Jeremy Jenkins, emphasized Hassan’s role in assisting in laundering illegal profits from drug dealing and facilitating the operation of his co-conspirators. The case serves as a stark reminder of the lengths some individuals will go to in their criminal activities and the mechanisms they employ to conceal their illicit gains.