Three men are to stand trial accused of laundering almost £ million through banks in Dundee via links in Pakistan, Iran and the United Arab Emirates in a criminal exercise known as “cuckoo smurfing”.
A fourth man is accused of transferring £75,150 in cash to the three other accused, who are then accused of attempting to further conceal, disguise and transfer the cash through banks in Dundee to go into accounts held in England.
It is understood all four two from Dundee, one from Kirkcaldy and one from Glasgow were arrested in Dundee following a covert operation at City Quay by undercover officers.
All four accused Muhammed Zeeshan Abdul Hameed, 34, of Marine Parade Walk in Dundee; Shahid Aslam, 36, of Dean Park Court, Chapel, Kirkcaldy; Philip McGovern Reid, 47, of Duthil Street, Glasgow; and Saleem Mohammed Shikari, 49, of Mayfield Grove, Dundee are now due to appear at the High Court in Glasgow in March.
Among the charges, Hameed, Aslam and Shikari are accused of possessing £673,902 between February 6 and August 27 2013 at Marine Parade Walk, Dundee; Barclays, High Street; Lloyds TSB, 101 Strathmartine Road, Coldside; Lloyds TSB, 55 High Street, Lochee; and HSBC, Murraygate, all Dundee, and elsewhere unknown.
Between the same dates, at the same places, the same three are accused, while acting with others unknown, of having concealed, disguised, transferred and removed from Scotland at least £673,902, having received instructions and information through mobile telephones from people in Pakistan and UAE.
Previously, they had appeared at the High Court on petition and made no plea or declaration. They are now to appear at a preliminary hearing in Glasgow in March.