A Manchester student has been found guilty of money laundering after being caught transporting over £400,000 of illegal money on trains across the UK.
21-year-old former engineering student Yuming Dong was part of what British Transport Police (BTP) called a “complex and sophisticated” Chinese Underground Banking Scheme – which operated among students at the University of Manchester – and he often took up the role of a courier, before eventually handing himself in.
On at least two occasions, Dong travelled between London and Manchester to transport over £400,000 of illegal ash to be used as a cash pool.
On one of these occasions on 4 February 2019, Dong texted BTP and claimed there was a suspicious person on board the train who was carrying a large yellow suitcase.
Officers then boarded the train at Manchester Piccadilly, and found Dong “behaving in an agitated way”.
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A conniving student who transported over half a million pounds of illicit money across the country before turning himself in has been sentenced.
Yuming Dong was part of a complex scheme which operated among students at the University of Manchester.
The student’s behaviour led officers to the discovery of nearly £255,000 of cash in his suitcase and Dong was subsequently arrested on suspicion of money laundering, with all of the the money being seized by BTP.
After Dong handed himself in, a search of his address uncovered a diary with mention of money laundering, as well as used train tickets from previous visits to London to collect cash, and further enquiries conducted on the number he used to text BTP proved the extent of his involvement in the criminal conspiracy.
Dong was found guilty of money laundering at Manchester Crown Court on Thursday 28 July, and a judge sentenced him to 18 months imprisonment, suspended for two years.
Yuming Dong was caught with £250,000 in cash inside a suitcase at Manchester Piccadilly / Credit: Network Rail Media
“This was a complex and painstaking investigation which uncovered a sophisticated criminal operation involving large scale money laundering and deception,” explained Detective Inspector Granville Sellers – from BTP’s Major Serious and Organised Crime team.
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“The sum of money involved is simply staggering, but it’s very satisfying to know that over £250,000 of this will now be used as police funds – allowing us further investment in keeping the travelling public safe.
“Money laundering is not a victimless crime, the cash involved often originates from criminal activity such as drug dealing and exploitation.
“We will always take these reports seriously and work tirelessly to bring offenders before the courts.”
Featured Image – BTP
News
Fundraiser launched to find ‘beautiful soul’ now missing for almost three weeks
Daisy Jackson
An urgent fundraiser has been set up to help in the search for a Manchester man, who has now been missing for almost three weeks.
Adeo Alston, 25, was last seen in Fletcher Moss Park in Didsbury on Friday 16 May.
Greater Manchester Police have been conducting urgent searches for missing Adeo, who was last seen wearing long blue denim shorts, a green short-sleeved button up shirt, and white Adidas trainers.
But now his loved ones have launched a GoFundMe to help them raise the costs for a private investigator.
It’s hoped that the £1.5k target will pay for the investigation fees, with the ‘hope of finding and getting him home safe’.
When Adeo was last seen, he was reportedly heading in the direction of the River Mersey after socialising with a man and a woman.
GMP have been investigating, checking CCTV, bank records, phone activity and appealing for witnesses – but have so far found ‘no leads’.
The GoFundMe, by Adeo’s friend Charlie Watkinson, says: “We’re now running out of options.
“It’s becoming increasingly concerning as the days pass and we’re all so worried and miss him so so much.
“We are now resorting to a private investigator – the funds we raise from this will pay for the investigation fees, with the hope of finding and getting him home safe.
Guide Dogs desperately needs people in Greater Manchester to ‘foster’ its dogs while they’re in training
Emily Sergeant
Guide Dogs desperately needs Greater Manchester residents to take on the volunteering role of Fosterers.
The charity – which has been providing mobility support, and raising awareness of and campaigning for the blind and partially sighted since 1934 – relies on the help of its network of its more than 14,000 volunteers across the UK to help it make a difference and improve the lives of those with visual impairments.
And Fosterers are a vital part of the journey for the hundreds of dogs trained each year.
As a Training Dog Fosterer, you’ll be giving a dog in training a loving home whilst they embark on their journey to become a guide dog.
You’ll get to see the progress your furry companion is making in their training and be a vital part of their journey, all without the commitment of looking after a dog full time.
Guide Dogs North West – which is based at the state-of-the-art training school in Atherton – has taken to social media this week to issue a desperate plea for new Fosterers to join its volunteer network in our region, and is calling on dog lovers who can commit to the important role to get in touch.
“Calling dog lovers around Atherton,” the post on Instagram reads.
“We desperately need volunteer Fosterers to look after our trainee guide dogs during the evenings and weekends. We take care of the training and costs, such as food and vet bills, and you take care of the play time and cuddles.”
One of the most crucial parts of the Fosterer role is being able to drop the dog off between 8-9am and pick them up between 5-6pm at a Guide Dogs site or a site near a trainers’ home each weekday – which means you will likely need to live nearby to the Atherton training centre or be fully-committed to travelling.
Guide Dogs desperately needs people in Greater Manchester to ‘foster’ its dogs while they’re in training / Credit: Guide Dogs
What will you get in return? Well, volunteering is a two-way street, so in return for your time, you’ll get a dedicated volunteer manager / key contact who will help you settle in and support you during your time with the charity.
And of course, you’ll get lots of cuddles from the new four-legged friend you’ve welcomed into your home.
This could be a chance to play your part in changing lives.
Emily Sergeant -
3rd August 2022 
