₦airaland Forum

Nigerians, others launder £100bn dirty money in UK annually
By Sanya Adejokun with Agency Report On May 30, 2019

United Kingdom said on Wednesday it is especially focusing on stopping the importation of at least £100 billion dirty money into its economy from Nigeria, Russia, former USSR countries and Asia annually.

This is as British police disclosed they had used tough anti-graft powers for the second time to freeze three London properties believed to be linked to a person involved in serious crime.

National Crime Agency (NCA) disclosed obtained the Unexplained Wealth Orders (UWO) at London’s High Court for three houses in prime locations in the British capital which had been bought for more than 80 million pounds and were held by offshore companies.

Nigeria is also relying on the Unexplained Wealth Order to energise its proposed Project Lighthouse, which will gather information from countries around the world on property owned by Nigerians for the purposes of determining tax liabilities.

No details of the properties or the person involved in the case could be made public, the NCA said.
While officers investigate the funds used to buy the three properties, freezing orders were granted which mean the houses cannot be sold, transferred or dissipated.

According to Reuters News Agency, in 2018, NCA used UWOs for the first time against Zamira Hajiyeva, the wife of the jailed former chairman of Azerbaijan’s largest bank, to seize property and a golf course worth about 22 million pounds.

The anti-corruption powers were brought to force foreign officials suspected of corruption and their families to account for their wealth, in a bid to stem dirty money flowing through Britain.

“This is the second time the NCA has successfully secured UWOs since the new legislation was enacted,” said Andy Lewis, the force’s Head of Asset Denial.

“They are a powerful tool in being able to investigate illicit finance flowing into the UK and discourage it from happening in the first place.”

Police say about 100 billion pounds of dirty cash moves through or into Britain each year, buying everything from luxury London homes to whole companies.

They say they are focussed on cracking down in particular on suspect money from Russia, Nigeria, former Soviet states and Asia.

When a UWO is used the onus is on the owner to show that any asset worth more than 50,000 pounds was obtained legitimately.

“The purchase of prime property in London is a tactic used to launder money and we will use all the powers available to us to target those who try to do this,” said Graeme Biggar, Director General of the UK’s National Economic Crime Centre.

“Our aim is to prevent misuse of the UK’s financial structures which undermines the integrity of the UK’s economy and institutions.”

https://tribuneonlineng.com/215571/

And of course the criminal brits will never reject the money or expose d launderers.

Our leaders should truly feel ashamed!

Don't dey feel ridiculed when foreign countries keep naming nigeria in money laundering scandals? Haba!!

How can they feel normal nd comfortable when the first thing a foreigner thinks of when the word nigeria is mentioned is corruption? Kidnappers, ritualists, internet fraud e.t.c

The growing infamous reputation on the nigerian name should be a source of worry and concern for every right thinking leader . This is unacceptable but for sure some incoming governors and senators might be preparing for their turn to loot... chop make i chop no be crime as they jokingly say in the elites circles. When foriegners insult us now dem go wan vex.... we r nothing but a joke to other countries.

They should send Deziani back to Nigeria first.

D number one launderer of Nigeria's money dat we all know is d President who runs to London every now and den at d expense of taxpayers money...

EagleNest:
They should send Deziani back to Nigeria first.

Dey there make d govt use ur brain dey play koso.. Why has d EFCC and govt gone quiet afta all d noise dey made last year despite all d extradition threats and court arrest order? If U really think dis govt and d EFCC has a case against Diezani den U have been scammed

Nbote:
Dey there make d govt use ur brain dey play koso.. Why has d EFCC and govt gone quiet afta all d noise dey made last year despite all d extradition threats and court arrest order? If U really think dis govt and d EFCC has a case against Diezani den U have been scammed

You make sense die. The more you look the less you see with Nigeria govt. No be today!

The person who steals and the person who keeps stolen items are both thieves.....abi?

Money that we are not seeing here as hunger wan finish us... No be only money laundry,na dry cleaning!
Mtchew