Two men who laundered over £6 million by exploiting the Russia-Ukraine war have been jailed following a major police investigation into an international criminal network.
Valeiry Popovych, 52, was arrested in June 2023 after police stopped a vehicle in Twickenham. During a search, officers found more than £60,000 in cash. A later search at his residence uncovered an additional £130,000.
The investigation revealed a large-scale operation where criminal funds were used to purchase vans and lorries in the UK. These vehicles were then sold in Ukraine to meet wartime demand, with the proceeds converted into cryptocurrency to obscure their origin.
Popovych and his associate, Vitaliy Lutsak, 43, of Shortmead Drive, were identified as key figures in the scheme. Together, they have been sentenced to a combined total of 13 years in prison.
Authorities emphasized that the operation not only involved financial crime but also took advantage of an ongoing humanitarian crisis for profit.
