Five get sentences cut for money laundering

​Senior judges identified a legal error and inconsistencies in roles attributed to the five defendants, all Chinese nationals, in a sophisticated operation which involved huge cash deposits at a city centre bank.

Defence lawyers argued they had been “preyed upon” by the racket’s real masterminds.

The outcome means three of the defendants are expected to be released from custody within days.

The criminal enterprise was uncovered in a National Crime Agency probe into a number of UK-based financial institutions.

Detectives focused on an organised gang who laundered illegal assets by providing the defendants with bundles of cash and instructions on where to transfer the funds.

Inquiries revealed that a branch of Barclays Bank in Belfast was being used to make frequent large deposits.

Defendants were caught on CCTV using the same bank – some on a daily basis – to lodge various amounts of money between January 2018 and July 2019.

Ten people arrested at the time were charged with offences including converting criminal property, possessing criminal property and entering an arrangement to acquire criminal property.

In July last year the Belfast-based defendants were all sentenced for their roles. Those who mounted appeals were:

l Zhu Lin, 36, a mother of two from Broadway and described by the trial judge as being “at the heart” of the local operation. Her 32-month sentence was reduced to 24 months.

l Qing Wen Lin, a 39-year-old mother of two from Iris Street. Her two-year term was cut to 15 months.

l Her 46-year-old husband, Long Quang Yu, who claimed he became involved due to a gambling addiction. His sentence was reduced from 20 months to 15 months.

l Ling Ling Zheng, 39, from Vernon Street in Belfast. Her 16-month prison term was cut to 10 months.

l Yong Wu Chen, 39, from Duncairn Avenue, who involved his relatives in the offending. His 28-month sentence was reduced to 20 months.

It was accepted that all five operated at a lower level in the scheme where they were paid but did not benefit from profits generated.