A large scale money launderer from Rochester was one of three men sentenced following the largest ever single cash seizure by the Met Police.

Officers from the Met’s Specialist Crime Command seized more than £5m following the operation focused on firearms offences and large scale drug supply across the capital.

Yesterday at Harrow Crown Court three men were sentenced, after pleading guilty last year to conspiracy to conceal/disguise/convert/transfer/remove criminal property.

Ruslan Shamsutdinov, 36, of Selcroft House, Glenister Road, Hackney was sentenced to three years nine months in jail; Sergejs Auzins, 46 of Windward Road, Rochester, was sentenced to three years four months and Serwan Ahmadi, 35, of Pycroft Way, Edmonton was sentenced to one year eight months, suspended for two years and ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.

Detective Superintendent Jason Prins, from the Specialist Crime Command, said: “As part of a long-running operation against gun crime and large scale Class A drugs supply across London, over £5million in criminal cash was seized from an address in Fulham. This is the largest ever single cash seizure by the Met and I believe one of the largest ever nationally.

“Organised crime is motivated by money and is one of the biggest causes of violence on our streets. Tackling this violence is our main priority. This seizure, and the conviction of these men for laundering that money, will have a major impact on the ability of a number of crime groups to carry on with their activities.”

During the operation, Sergejs Auzins, a large scale money launderer from Rochester, was identified taking large quantities of cash to an address in Fulham.

On Friday, June 5 last year Ruslan Shamsutdinov was seen coming out of an address in Porteus Apartments, Fulham, struggling to carry heavy bags. Officers stopped him and found the bags contained a considerable amount of cash.

A search of the apartment uncovered further cash and a well organised money laundering system. The total amount of cash seized in total was £5,082,026.17. A further 39,000 Euros and £8,038.81 was found at the home address of Shamsutdinov.

On Sunday, July 14 last year, Serwan Ahmadi was seen to hand a bag to another man who was arrested, though that case was discontinued.

Later that day, Ahmadi was seen with a bag found to contain £59,980 when he was stopped. A search of his address recovered a further £198,665.

The following day, Sergejs Auzins was arrested at his home in Rochester and a further £14, 435.63 was seized.

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