A driver caught with £100,000 cash on the M6 has been given a prison warning.
Police carried out the stop of a vehicle travelling southbound on the motorway, near Southwaite services, on March 6.
The driver was Bedfordshire-based Marius Iordache, who became the latest in a long line of motorists arrested for transporting huge sums of money on the county’s roads.
“During enquiries, officers located and seized around £100,000 cash,” said a Cumbria Constabulary spokesman.
Iordache, 30, of Russett Way, Dunstable, was charged with a money laundering offence.
And at Carlisle Crown Court this morning, he admitted one charge of possessing criminal property — cash — knowing or suspecting it to represent, in whole or part, the proceeds of criminal conduct.
Judge Michael Fanning adjourned the case and directed that background report should be prepared by a probation officer to assist the sentencing exercise.
The court heard an indication that a money-counting machine had been located at Iordache’s home following his arrest.
The defendant was assisting during today’s hearing by a Romanian interpreter. His solicitor confirmed he was lawfully in the UK, having arrived in 2016, and had no previous convictions in this country.
Iordache was bailed and is due to be sentenced by a judge at the crown court on May 14.
Judge Fanning told him: “You will be given appropriate credit for entering your guilty plea at an early stage in this case. But it is a serious matter and all sentencing options (including a prison term) are open.”
The seizure of cash from Iordache is part of Operation Alliance, Cumbria Constabulary’s ongoing response to protect the county against serious and organised crime.
Cash running into millions of pounds has been confiscated in recent years, with drugs potentially worth well in excess of £11 million having been taken off the county’s streets.
After that sentencing hearing, Detective Inspector Jamie Eaton said: “Our officers are always on the lookout for those who think they can import drugs into or via Cumbria and regularly make arrests whilst recovering drugs and cash.
“This case once again demonstrates that Cumbria has a zero-tolerance approach to the supply of drugs and our officers will not hesitate to act against dealers.”
