Ghost broker sentenced after bogus cover helped cannabis drug gang

A ghost broker that sold fraudulent motor trade insurance policies to an organised criminal group has been sentenced to 200 hours community service.

According to the Insurance Fraud Bureau, this helped a drug gang to carry out crime on UK roads enabling a total of 59 vehicles to evade police (ANPR) while pocketing over £90,000 with payments stemming from regions across the UK – the cost of which is now being recovered via the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA).

Tan Lam Le from Birmingham was sentenced after the IFB worked with its network of insurers to identify that he had been acting as a ghost broker. 

Le, a father of four, appeared at Preston Town Court on 25 November where he received a 14-month suspended sentence and 200 hours of community service after pleading guilty to two counts of fraudulent representation.

The 15 members of the criminal group received a total of more than 37 years’ imprisonment for their involvement in the production of large-scale cannabis farms. The court heard how some of the cannabis workers involved were working to repay debts after being smuggled into the UK.

Collaboration with the industry

An investigation was launched by the IFB after Lancashire Police urged it to help identify the activity that was believed to be linked to an array of vehicles that the gang was known to be using.

Stephen Dalton, head of intelligence and investigations at IFB said: “The case of Tan Lam Le and his associates is a clear demonstration of the serious criminal activity we can find connected to insurance fraud and the risk of harm to the wider public.

“Thanks to the collaborative work by the insurance industry, the IFB are pleased to have been able to support the Lancashire Police’s successful disruption of the criminal network of which Le was an integral part.”

Dalton has urged the public to come forward and speak to the IFB if they suspect insurance fraud has taken place.