Operation Enigma: Mr R, a local business and family man was accused of £200 million money laundering, involving a money transfer business moving the proceeds of crime out of the country.
Mr R ran a money service bureau in Manchester and was suspected by HMRC to be part of a network of seemingly legitimate businessmen who were paid to smuggle huge sums of money across the Pennines for organised crime syndicates.
Following the meticulous examination of the prosecution case, and establishing holes in their investigation, it was discovered that HMRC had failed to investigate Mr R’s defence and had completely neglected to examine a large quantity of documentation seized from Mr R which corroborated his defence.
Following a legal argument by the defence the prosecution offered no evidence in respect of Mr R shortly before trial due to their failings.