Mazen Al Shaar, 48, told Border Force he only had £500 for Beirut trip – but X-ray scanners revealed STAGGERING £1,232,880 hidden in TWO of his three cases
A SUPERMARKET worker who brazenly claimed he was jetting off to visit family with just £500 in his pocket has been jailed after Border Force officers discovered a jaw-dropping £1.2MILLION stuffed into his suitcases.
Mazen Al Shaar, 48, was caught red-handed at Heathrow Airport’s Terminal Three as he attempted to smuggle the massive cash haul to Beirut, Lebanon – telling officers he was simply going on a family holiday.
But the wholesale worker’s lies unravelled spectacularly when eagle-eyed Border Force officers searched his luggage and discovered £1,232,880 hidden in two of his three suitcases in one of the biggest cash seizures of the year.
The father from Marsworth Close, Hayes, Middlesex, has now been jailed for 21 months after admitting money laundering at Isleworth Crown Court – with prosecutors saying he was a “trusted money launderer” for organised crime gangs.
The Moment His Lies Fell Apart
On Saturday March 15, Al Shaar arrived at Heathrow’s busy Terminal Three ready to board his flight to the Lebanese capital, appearing like any other passenger heading off to see family.
When stopped by Border Force officers conducting routine checks, the Damas Gate wholesaler worker coolly claimed he was carrying just £500 in cash – well below the £10,000 limit that requires declaration.
But something about his demeanour triggered suspicions among the highly-trained officers, who decided to put his three suitcases through additional screening.
What they discovered left even seasoned border officials stunned.
X-Ray Shock: Cash Crammed Into Cases
Dramatic X-ray images released by the National Crime Agency show the shocking moment officers realised they’d stumbled upon a major money laundering operation.
The scans revealed two of Al Shaar’s suitcases were packed with neat bundles of cash – a staggering £1,232,880 in total, making it one of the largest single cash seizures at a UK airport this year.
The money was so tightly packed into the cases that it took officers considerable time to count the full amount, with the cash weighing dozens of kilograms.
‘Lifeblood of Organised Crime’
Peter Jones, NCA operations manager, didn’t hold back in his assessment of Al Shaar’s criminal activities:
Money launderers are at the absolute centre of serious and organised crime because they enable other offenders to make money from their offences.
He added: “Criminals who deal drugs, firearms, smuggle migrants and commit other organised crime offences do so because of their greed.
The detection and conviction of Al Shaar have punched a hole in the crime group’s finances and very importantly, taken a trusted money launderer out of use.
From Supermarket to Cell
The dramatic fall from grace saw Al Shaar go from working at Damas Gate, a wholesaler in Shepherd’s Bush, to being remanded in custody at one of Britain’s toughest prisons.
When he appeared at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court just days after his arrest, his bail application was immediately refused – with magistrates clearly viewing him as a serious flight risk given he’d already attempted to flee the country with over a million pounds.
Throughout the legal proceedings, Al Shaar maintained his story that he was simply visiting family – a claim that became increasingly ridiculous as the evidence mounted against him.
Part of Bigger Crime Network
Investigators believe Al Shaar was a crucial cog in a sophisticated money laundering operation that saw criminal cash from drug deals and other illegal activities cleaned through international transfers.
The Lebanon route has become increasingly popular with money launderers, with criminal gangs exploiting the country’s banking system to wash dirty money from UK crime.
Andy Noyes, NCA branch commander, revealed the wider implications: “So many of the serious and organised crime threats facing the UK are driven by offenders’ desire for money.
“This detection of £1m was because of brilliant work by Border Force officers which has now sparked our investigation.”
Similar Smuggling Operations Exposed
Al Shaar’s case bears striking similarities to other major money laundering operations uncovered at UK airports in recent years.
Just last year, a network smuggling cash to Dubai was exposed after couriers were caught with suitcases containing up to £500,000 each, weighing 40kg.
That gang, who communicated via a WhatsApp group brazenly called “Sunshine and Lollipops,” flew more than £104 million out of the UK in just 11 months before being caught.
Gang members were paid around £3,000 per trip to take business-class flights with vacuum-sealed drug money, with the network making 83 separate trips between November 2019 and October 2020.
Border Force’s ‘Brilliant Work’
The Home Office was quick to praise the officers who caught Al Shaar, with a spokesperson saying: “This seizure highlights Border Force’s dedicated efforts to protect our borders and keep the public safe.
Our officers are trained to spot suspicious behaviour and identify attempts to move illicit cash and other prohibited items across our borders.
The spokesperson added: “We continue to work closely with law enforcement partners, including the NCA to disrupt criminal networks.
Where The Money Came From
While Al Shaar refused to reveal the source of the cash or who he was working for, investigators believe the money represents:
- Profits from drug dealing operations
- Proceeds of people smuggling
- Cash from firearms trafficking
- Money stolen through fraud and cybercrime
The exact criminal enterprises behind the £1.2 million may never be fully known, but what’s certain is that Al Shaar’s arrest has dealt a significant blow to organised crime operations.
21 Months Behind Bars
At his sentencing at Isleworth Crown Court, Al Shaar showed little emotion as he was jailed for 21 months – though he could have faced up to three years in prison for the money laundering offence.
The judge made clear that those who help criminal gangs move their dirty money are just as culpable as those committing the underlying crimes.
With good behaviour, Al Shaar could be released after serving half his sentence – but his reputation is in tatters and he faces deportation proceedings that could see him permanently barred from the UK.
Message to Money Launderers
The NCA’s Peter Jones had a stark warning for others thinking of following in Al Shaar’s footsteps:
Cash like this is the lifeblood of organised crime groups. The detection and conviction of Al Shaar have punched a hole in the crime group’s finances.
For the supermarket worker who thought he could walk through one of the world’s busiest airports with £1.2 million stuffed in his suitcases, the message is clear: Britain’s borders are not as easy to breach as criminals might think.
As Al Shaar begins his prison sentence, his case serves as a powerful reminder that crime doesn’t pay – especially when you’re caught with the evidence literally packed in your luggage.
