Sniffer dogs patrolling trains

Sniffer dogs are being used on commuter trains to detect millions of pounds of criminal cash being ferried into London each year.

Undercover officers have been sweeping trains arriving at Euston and King's Cross stations, using dogs trained to scent banknotes.

The money is the proceeds of crimes ranging from drug deals and armed robbery to burglary and deception.

It is brought from cities including Manchester, Liverpool and Bristol - carried in holdalls, suitcases or even plastic carrier bags - to be laundered in the capital, often through bureau de change offices.

Since the start of the year police and Customs officers involved in the operation - codenamed Payback - have seized £800,000 from rail passengers.

But they believe that is the tip of the iceberg and have brought the dogs in as a further weapon against the cash couriers. Operation-Payback follows the Proceeds of Crime Act, passed last December, which allows authorities to seize cash and assets they suspect come from, or which could be used to fund, illegal activity.

So far £35million has been seized. Most has been gathered by Customs but the Metropolitan Police has confiscated £6million. Today
police and Customs chiefs will display some of the cash and possessions seized from criminals - including a new Ferrari.

Investigators have uncovered a steady stream of couriers bringing cash into London, most of it going to the hundreds of bureaux de change in the capital.

One source said: "London is the tourist capital and few people bat an eyelid when large amounts of money are put through these bureaux. It is different in the provinces.

"We have watched people arrive at an office with a large plastic bag full of cash and leave without it, or leave with two bags. You can change the cash from pounds into dollars or euros, there are few checks."

One man was caught arriving at Dover with £500,000 in cash. Another was caught on a train with £168,000 in a holdall.

An investigator said: "We are trying to change the culture in tackling criminality, so that as well as tackling the crime itself we cut off the proceeds of crime."

Assistant Commissioner Tarique Ghaffur, head of Scotland Yard's specialist crime section, said: "Payback is about removing the money to put an end to a vicious cycle.

"We are tackling criminals across the board from street robbers to armed robbers, from conmen to gunmen. My advice to criminals is watch out, we are coming after your home, your car and the cash in your wallet."