Indian-origin cabbie Harmeet Singh was pulled over by police in Melbourne’s Ringwood in October 2013.
Police found a suitcase stashed with $500,000 in cash, which they suspected was part of money laundering operation.
Seven minutes before the police apprehended him, he had collected this consignment from a US citizen in Melbourne.
Police charged him of dealing with the proceeds of crime in an amount greater than $100,000. Harmeet Singh pleaded not guilty.
He told the court that he had collected the cash from Mendoza, a US citizen, who had travelled to Melbourne specifically for this operation. He was to hand over the money to an Indian associate.
He pleaded not guilty on the basis that he did not know where this money was coming from and going to.
Today, the County Court jury in Melbourne pronounced him guilty. He has been jailed for 14 months. Upon hearing this, Harmeet Singh vomited in court. The sentence had to be stalled till he regained composure. But all this while, he kept protesting the verdict, reported.
“Can I say something,” he pleaded with Judge Meryl Sexton.
“I didn’t do anything.”
Judge Sexton completely dismissed his plea that he did not know that he was carrying such huge amount in cash.
She found him to be an integral part of the money laundering operation.
“I am satisfied your conduct in this offence was not fleeting and not restricted to the seven minutes or less that you were knowingly in possession of the $500,000,” she said.
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