British woman attempts to fly to Dubai with £2m stashed in her luggage

A British woman has been charged after attempting to fly from Heathrow to Dubai with nearly £2 million in cash in her luggage.

Tara Hanlon, 30, from Leeds, was charged with money laundering after Border Force officers found £1.9m ($2.57m) inside five suitcases.

She was arrested at about 8pm on Saturday along with a 28-year-old woman from Doncaster, who authorities have not named.

The haul is the largest cash seizure at the border this year.

UK immigration minister Chris Philp said: “This is the largest individual cash seizure at the border so far in 2020 and I am delighted with the efforts of Border Force officers.

“Preventing the export of undeclared cash from the UK is a vital step in clamping down on organised criminal gangs.”

Hanlon appeared at Uxbridge Magistrates Court on Monday and was remanded in custody until November 5.

The 28-year-old woman who was also arrested has been released but still under investigation.

The case comes swiftly after authorities seized the multi-million pound property empire of British businessman Mansoor “Manni” Mahmood Hussain.

Mahmood, who posed in photographs with public figures including Meghan Markle, was suspected of money laundering after he was unable to show he obtained his properties legitimately.

Authorities used an Unexplained Wealth Order, rarely issued by the courts, to seize the £10 million real estate portfolio.