Woman admits trying to smuggle millions of pounds stuffed in suitcases

The cash found in the suitcases at Heathrow.

Tara Hanlon, 30, was stopped at the airport’s Terminal 2 at around 8pm on Saturday, October 3 last year while attempting to board a flight to Dubai.

Officers searched five suitcases and found cash totalling £1.9 million in sterling notes – the largest such detection at the border in 2020.

Hanlon is believed to have attended a school in Wakefield.

Appearing at Isleworth Crown Court in London by video-link, Hanlon admitted the offences related to laundering.

She admitted three counts of removing criminal property, related to three trips abroad and the failed attempt, and one count of attempting to remove criminal property.

She denies a charge of conspiracy to remove criminal property.

Hanlon, who lives in Leeds, was handed bail but told that must expect to go to to prison when she is sentenced on July 26.