Taxi driver 'hard up' during lockdown couriered £2m in drugs money, prosecutors allege

manchestereveningnews.co.uk:

A taxi driver struggling financially during the Covid lockdown worked as a courier moving about £2m in drugs money, prosecutors allege.

Romiz Ahmed, 38, is accused of working as a driver for a money laundering operation for drug dealers. Police found just under £250,000 in Mr Ahmed's taxi after observing a transaction in Rochdale, jurors heard. READ MORE : "I think I've got a f****** grenade": Drugs runner's terrifying confession in dramatic arrest footage "Romiz Ahmed and those that he worked for was the criminal equivalent of the Western Union," prosecutor Richard Wright QC told Manchester Crown Court. "Over the course of about two months, the defendant Romiz Ahmed collected and transported the best part of £2 million in drugs money." Mr Ahmed, from Rochdale.

denies being involved in money laundering. Jurors heard that Mr Ahmed is expected to say that he had 'fallen on hard times as a taxi driver due to the pandemic', and began to drive for a businessman he knew.

He is expected to say he was 'completely unaware' of what he was transferring, and that about £100,000 found at his home represented his legitimate savings.