UK police arrests British-Pakistani couple on money laundering, corruption charges

A British-Pakistani couple controlling a UK property portfolio worth over Pounds 8 million without an obvious "legitimate source of income" has been arrested in Surrey by authorities in connection with money laundering as a result of corruption in Pakistan.

The International Corruption Unit of UK's National Crime Agency's (NCA) described the suspect as former Pakistani Politically Exposed Person (PEP) named Farhan Junejo, a former civil servant from Pakistan and an officer in the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), and his wife Binish Qureshi, the BBC reported.

The NCA's investigation was supported by the UK's National Accountability Bureau and the Federal Investigation Agency in Pakistan.

After a joint operation with Transparency International, the couple were arrested on Monday hours after UK Home Secretary Sajid Javid struck an agreement to cooperate with Pakistan on countering corruption during his visit to Islamabad to meet Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan, said the report.

"Officers from the NCA's International Corruption Unit have arrested a former Pakistani Politically Exposed Person, aged in his 40s, and his wife, aged in her 30s, in connection with alleged money laundering in the United Kingdom believed to be the result of corruption in Pakistan," NCA said in a statement this week.

The NCA said that the couple was interrogated as part of the investigation.

"The man and his wife were questioned by NCA officers and have now been released under investigation," said the statement.

The suspect, Farhan Junejo, was reportedly placed under investigation in Islamabad in 2013 and accused of involvement in a multi-million-pound corruption scandal, following which his assets were frozen.

His wife was allegedly the beneficiary of funds transferred by her husband through companies in Dubai to a bank account in the UK.

The NCA's International Corruption Unit, principally funded by the UK's Department for International Development (DfID) said that it concentrates its resources where there is a clear link with countries that receive overseas development aid from the UK, investigates serious criminal allegations of bribery and corruption.

This includes bribery committed either by a UK-based person or company to gain commercial advantage overseas, or the investigation of money laundering in the UK committed by foreign PEPs.

Under the UK Anti-Money Laundering Regulations, PEPs are individuals – and their relatives – whose prominent position in public life may make them vulnerable to corruption. They are expected to be subject to enhanced due diligence by banks, building societies and estate agents.

According to the reports, the Pakistani couple was able to acquire properties in the UK several years after a major international investigation had already been launched against Junejo.