WIREDGOV

A professional money launderer whose activities were linked to numerous separate investigations and the arrest of more than 50 people across Europe has been sentenced to eight-and-a-half years in prison.

Roger Budgen, aged 46 from Rhyl in North Wales, was the ringleader of an international drugs and money laundering group.

Following the National Crime Agency’s investigation, his wife Caroline Hartery (41) was also sentenced to 18 months in prison (suspended for two years) with 200 hours community service for laundering criminal proceeds, alongside a trio of associates; Paul Beament (four years, four months sentence) and Dean Conyers (two years) for conspiracy to supply cannabis and Peter Dolan (18 months) for supplying cannabis and possessing cocaine.

Budgen and his wife had deposited more than £300,000 into their bank accounts despite not declaring any income for over 10 years. 

He also coordinated an international money laundering system where he linked criminals across Europe so that thousands of criminal pounds could be illegally transferred from the continent into the UK.

The group used a number of tactics in an attempt to avoid law enforcement detection, including:

• Communicating via a number of mobile phones
• Using public telephone boxes for particularly sensitive conversations
• Adopting codewords, such as ‘scratch’ for cash, ‘pollen’ for cannabis and ‘sweat’ for Scottish bank notes.

They used the serial numbers on banknotes as ‘passcodes’ to validate their couriers’ identities and ensure cash was handed over to the right person. The holder of a cash haul would be given the serial number on a £5 note via a text message. The collecting criminal would be in possession of the actual £5 note displaying that number.

In some cases the criminal cash was credited to Euro top-up cards and spent abroad, including in the Netherlands and Spain where Budgen and his wife spent a considerable amount of time.

Simon Flowers, Branch Commander NCA Wales, said: “This was a professionally managed crime group who used a range of tactics to try and avoid law enforcement. But as today’s sentence shows we were able to follow their criminal activity across Europe and bring them to justice.

“Budgen was well established within the international criminal community, and had built up a wide network of criminal associates throughout the UK and Europe.

“He was clearly the controller of this group, not only overseeing the supply of cannabis and hiding criminal proceeds, but connecting criminals across Europe to professional money launderers.”

The case began in 2010 when investigations revealed the full extent of Budgen’s criminal connections. It led to numerous separate operations being launched across Europe and the arrest of more than 50 people for a range of crimes including drug trafficking and money laundering.

Cash seizures have so far totalled more than £1m alongside substantial criminal assets, several thousand kilos of cannabis and multiple kilos of cocaine, amphetamine and methedrone.

Further information 

At a previous hearing, all suspects pleaded guilty to the following charges:

1. Roger BUDGEN, aged 46 of Rhyl, North Wales: 

• Conspiracy to supply a controlled drug of class B, contrary to Section 1(1) Criminal Law Act 1977 and 4(1) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
• Concealing; disguising; converting or transferring criminal property, or removing criminal property from the United Kingdom, contrary to Section 327 Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.
• Entering into or becoming concerned in an arrangement to facilitate the acquisition, retention, use or control of criminal property, contrary to Section 328 Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. 

2. Caroline HARTERY, aged 41, of Rhyl, North Wales:

• Concealing; disguising; converting or transferring criminal property, or removing criminal property from the United Kingdom, contrary to Section 327 Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

3. Paul Alan BEAMENT, aged 45, of Acton, West London:


• Conspiracy to supply a controlled drug of class B, contrary to Section 1(1) Criminal Law Act 1977 and 4(1) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

4. Dean CONYERS of Kilburn, London:


• Conspiracy to supply a controlled drug of class B, contrary to Section 1(1) Criminal Law Act 1977 and 4(1) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.

5. Peter Michael DOLAN, aged 33, of Bootle, Liverpool:

• Conspiracy to supply a controlled drug of class B, contrary to Section 1(1) Criminal Law Act 1977 and 4(1) of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
• Possession of a controlled drug of class A, contrary to Section 5(2) and 4(1)of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971

Roger Budgen and Paul Beament were also given Serious Crime Prevention Orders, restricting their use of travel and communications for five years after they are released including mobile phones, internet access and use of public telephone boxes.