Barnaby Hone was instructed as leading counsel in a series of private prosecutions on behalf of the Royal Mail Group, the large-scale fraud involving International Organised Crime Groups from China, Italy and the UK infiltrated the mail-stream, flooding the market with high-quality counterfeit stamps. In doing so they generated millions of pounds in criminal benefit at the expense of Royal Mail.
Royal Mail Postage Stamps are some of our best-known and most valuable assets. Income generated from the sale of stamps is essential to provision of the Universal Service Obligation.
Royal Mail Group Security working with Legal Resolutions have concluded private prosecutions against five men conspiring to control false instruments, and ultimately commit fraud against Royal Mail in the sum of £3.1m. Charges of Money Laundering for the proceeds of that crime totalled over £5m.
The investigation recovered over 5.5 million counterfeit postage stamps with a face value exceeding £3.6 million.
A consignment of controlled drugs worth over £60k was also recovered as part of this investigation. Five men, aged 35-62 years, were sentenced to imprisonment for 24-years and 4-months in total.
Barnaby Hone is a barrister with specialist expertise in all types of asset recovery and financial crime. He is ranked in Chambers and Partners and the Legal 500 for his knowledge within POCA, asset recovery, and forfeiture. Barnaby writes the chapters on International Asset Recovery and Terrorism Finance for Millington and Sutherland Williams on POCA
HHJ Goymer, “Commend[ed] the thoroughness of the investigation in this case which has brought those responsible to justice.”
HHJ Darling heard that “Such offending undermines the economic viability of the Universal Service Obligation, distorts retail markets and undermines public confidence in Royal Mail Group commenting, “Private prosecution [by Royal Mail] beggars’ belief in light of this important work.”
