A MAN who was caught on the M4 in Gwent and was found to have laundered £4 million for organised crime groups has been jailed.

Bilal Tozsu, 44, was stopped in his car on the M4 at Magor by officers from Tarian, the Regional Organised Crime Unit for South Wales, working in partnership with Gwent Police.

Tozus helped organised crime groups launder money, travelling throughout the UK and collecting more than £4 million on behalf of these groups.

During a search of his vehicle, officers discovered bags containing large bundles of cash, later confirmed to total over £285,000.

The subsequent investigation into Tozsu’s activities revealed the full extent of his role in aiding organised crime.

Free Press Series: Tozsu was stopped in his car on the M4 at Magor Tozsu was stopped in his car on the M4 at Magor (Image: Gwent Police)

Free Press Series: Vehicle officers discovered bags containing large bundles of cash, later confirmed to total over £285,000Vehicle officers discovered bags containing large bundles of cash, later confirmed to total over £285,000 (Image: Gwent Police)

Detective Constable Sean Meyrick, from Tarian’s Regional Disruption team, described Tozsu as providing a "lifeblood" to these groups.  

DC Meyrick said: “Bilal Tozsu played a significant role in helping organised crime groups benefit from the proceeds of crime.

“Cash is the lifeblood of these groups, enabling them to reinvest ‘laundered’ money into activities such as drug trafficking, which in turn fuels violence and fear.

“Tarian is committed to tackling organised criminality and we welcome the sentence today.

"The money recovered during this investigation has been prevented from reaching the hands of those who would use it to inflict the most harm upon our region.”

Tozsu, from Margate, Kent, was sent to prison for 40 months for transferring criminal property contrary to the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.