Two local men have been charged with several money laundering offences. 

The charges follow an extensive financial investigation by officers from HMC’s Investigation Branch which commenced in 2020. 

The investigation stems from an arrest in August 2020 for offences contravening the Tobacco Act 1997.  Searches executed at a local retail premises as well as both defendant’s residences resulted in considerable amounts of cash being seized.

The investigation revealed a large turnover of sales of tobacco which were largely inconsistent with the declarations made to the Income Tax Office.  Therefore, the cash seized is alleged to form part of the proceeds from the criminal activity.

Rajesh Shivkishore SHUKLA, 62, of Montagu Gardens, the sole director of Riverwall Ltd, who has been on bail since November 2022 was charged with:

1. Use of criminal property, relating to the use of approximately £22,064,419 in cash, between 01/07/2015 and 30/06/2019, derived from the undeclared sale of tobacco, the said £22,064,419 being criminal property and knowing that it was criminal property.
2. Concealing criminal property, relating to knowingly concealing, between 01/07/2015 and 30/06/2019 as the sole director of Riverwall Ltd, a turnover of approximately £22,064,419 derived from the undeclared sales of tobacco by failing to declare this to the Income Tax Office, the said £22,064,419 being criminal property.
3. Possession of criminal property, relating to being in possession of approximately £61,816 of undeclared income in different currencies, the said £61,816 being criminal property and knowing that this was criminal property.
4. Fraud by false representation, relating to on diverse dates between 1/07/2015 and 30/06/2019 did dishonestly make a false representation by submitting false declarations to the Income Tax Office in relation to his income.
5. Fraud by false representation, relating to on diverse dates between 01/07/2015 and 30/06/2019, as sole director of Riverwall Ltd, did dishonestly make a false representation by submitting false declarations to the Income Tax in relation to the turnover and profits of the said company, and intended by making the representations to make a gain for himself via the evasion of taxes payable on the total profits of approximately £1,187,075.
6. Being knowingly concerned in the sale of tobacco in breach of a condition of the retail tobacco licence, relating to diverse dates between 01/07/2015 and 30/06/2020, being the sole director of Riverwall Ltd, knowingly did breach a condition of the tobacco licence by selling tobacco amounting to more than 200 cigarettes to the same individual at any one time.

In addition, Rohit SHUKLA, 32, of Montagu Gardens, was also charged with the offence of:

1. Possession of criminal property, relating to being in possession of approximately £17,219 of undeclared income in different currencies, the said £17,219 being criminal property and knowing or suspecting that this was criminal property.

The defendants appeared at the Magistrates Court this morning.  The matter has been adjourned until the 17^th March 2023.

ENDS