That's a wrap: Essex Police arrest man who disguised £70,000 in cash as sandwiches

A lorry driver was incarcerated earlier this month after officers from Essex Police uncovered that he had disguised thousands of pounds as regular sandwiches. On September 8, Mariusz Raczynski was sent to jail for 20 weeks for hiding criminal property after he pleaded guilty during a hearing at Chelmsford Crown Court, England. 

According to Sky News, Raczynski had wrapped the cash in foil on July 27. He was spotted driving along the wrong route as officers from the Rural Engagement Team (RET) were performing routine checks in Harwich. As suspicion of avoiding detection grew, the officers chased the 28-year-old.

They arrested him for allegedly partaking in money laundering after finding a bag containing silver foil packets of the same size as sandwich packets. After opening them, officers discovered  £70,000 of cash and collaborated with the Proactive Money Laundering Team [PMLT] of the Serious Crime Directorate to secure a charge. Images shared by law enforcement display the cash secured by rubber bands and wrapped in silver foil. 

Essex Police issue statement after arrest

“Here in the Rural Engagement Team, we focus mainly on crimes that affect our rural communities, but we won’t turn a blind eye to other crimes. Policing is about being in the right place at the right time and to take effective action that will bring perpetrators to justice and keep everyone safe," said Sergeant Paul Brady, according to the website of the Essex Police.

Detective Constable Megan Tighe, who led the investigation, revealed that the team was highly efficient and was able to achieve a conviction within two months of the case. “In this case, our Rural Engagement Team colleagues were very proactive and alert to what was happening, meaning an arrest was quickly made. As the PMLT, we’ve worked hard to build the case and prove that the seized cash could only have come from crime. In just two months, that collaboration and our hard work throughout the investigation has resulted in a conviction," Tighe said.