https://www.thamesvalley.police.uk/news/thames-valley/news/2024/january/22-01-2024/woman-sentenced-for-money-laundering--oxfordshire/

Following a Thames Valley Police investigation, a woman has been sentenced for money laundering in Oxfordshire.

Kylie Smith, aged 37, of Field Avenue, Oxford, was sentenced to two years in prison, suspended for two years, at Oxford Crown Court on Friday (19/1).

Smith pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiring to transfer criminal property – money laundering and securing unauthorised access to data at the same hearing.

Smith’s offending was identified through a review of data from Operation Venetic, the UK law enforcement response to the takedown of encrypted Comms platform EncroChat.

Smith was involved in the transfer of over £350,000 between 1 January 2019 and 21 October 2022.

Smith then used some of the money on luxury holidays to Dubai.

On 20 October 2022, officers executed a warrant at Smith’s address and found a large quantity of cash hidden in a drawer in her living room and a plastic box under her bed. A safe was also found at the address but it was empty. She was arrested and charged on the same day.

Smith had also made unauthorised searches of the NHS database.

Senior investigating officer Detective Inspector Natalie Hall, of the Serious and Organised Crime Unit, said: “Kylie Smith’s offending is rooted in Operation Venetic and the EncroChat data it uncovered.

“An organised crime group was identified to be operating in the Oxfordshire area, supplying over 150kg of cocaine in a ten-week period.

“The case centred on Smith living on the benefit of this criminality, including luxury holidays to Dubai, which was proven through photographs posted on social media.

“The evidence showed she was involved in the transfer of over £350,000 in the indictment period.

“Further to this, she was involved in booking a safe house for the group, sourcing hire cars and booking flights for convicted drug traffickers.

“This sentence should act as a deterrent to others who may be involved in laundering the proceeds of crime.”