Cash-Smuggling Brits in dock over £5m (€5.6m) hidden in suitcases

Up to five British nationals are accused of taking cash hidden in suitcases into Dubai as part of a £100m smuggling ring. One of the accused, Jo-Emma Larvin, 44, a former girlfriend of ex-boxer Joe Calzaghe gave evidence at Isleworth Crown Court on Tuesday March 28, reports The Daily star.

Larvin, and her partner Jonathan Johnson, 55, of Ripon North Yorkshire are accused of smuggling large amounts of cash into Dubai. The couple deny the charges.

The other defendants are Amy Harrison, 27, of Worcester Park, Surrey; Beatrice Auty, 26, of Fulham, London; and Liam Rabone, 29, of West Kensington, London.

Ex-glamour model Jo-Emma Larvin first met world middleweight boxing champion Joe Calzaghe when she was 24, they are said to have parted company in 2009.

Larvin has been accused of taking £2.2 million (€2.5m) into Dubai in August 2020 and then a further £2.8 million (€3.2m)  in September.

The couriers are reported to have been paid £3,000 (€3400)per trip.

Larvin told the Court: “The person who introduced me to it I had known for ten years – Mark Hladnik, whose father owns the Landmark Hotel in London.

Hladnik then introduced her to a woman called Michelle Clarke who allegedly worked for the UAE embassy, and offered her work couriering documents to Dubai.

“She was lovely, she was really nice. She explained the role. She was asking lots about me, about my work history.

“She was powerfully convincing. I thought it was unusual, I hadn’t heard anything like that before. But the world was disjointed at the time because of the Covid pandemic.”

The case continues.

Thank you for taking the time to read this article, do remember to come back and check The Euro Weekly News website for all your up-to-date local and international news stories and remember, you can also follow us on Facebook and Instagram