Money launderer jailed after extradition to UK

A man who laundered more than £2m has been jailed after being extradited back to the UK.

Calin Barta, 29, originally from Romania, was sentenced at Guildford Crown Court to four years and 10 months in prison.

Three years ago, Surrey Police executed a warrant at an address in Woking as part of an investigation into indecent image offences.

However, whilst at the property, officers said they found multiple mobile phones and bank card readers along with 38 passports in different names but all with the same photo.

Barta returned to Romania while he was on bail, said police.

Surrey’s Economic Crime Unit carried out an investigation which revealed he was part of an organised crime group committing complex fraud.

Using the fake passports, Barta had set up 70 separate bank accounts under different names through which more than £2m had been funnelled.

Officers secured charges against him and with support from the National Crime Agency and the Met Police’s extradition team, Barta was brought back to the UK in February where he was met at Heathrow by Surrey officers.

He pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud, money laundering, possession of articles for use in fraud and making indecent images of children (categories A, B and C).

As well as being imprisoned, he also received a Sexual Harm Prevention Order and is on the sex offenders' register for seven years in relation to the original indecent image offence on 20 September.

Det Con Ashley Mullem said: “Much of our work within economic crime is complex and takes place behind the scenes out of sight.

“It can take long hours and patience to conduct enquiries both in the UK and abroad but, as this case demonstrates, we will put that work in to pursue perpetrators of financial crime and get them before the courts.”

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