Six Pakistani men convicted in £6 million cryptocurrency money laundering operation in Scotland

Glasgow High Court finds six men guilty of laundering criminal proceeds through bank accounts and cryptocurrency between 2015 and 2019.

Six men have been convicted following a major investigation into an illegal cryptocurrency operation involving more than £6 million in criminal proceeds in Scotland.

The six defendants — Asim Afzal, 34, Aftab Allah, 36, Shehbaz Allah, 40, Hamzah Habib, 38, Kamran Javid, 33, and Imad Younis, 37 — were found guilty at the High Court in Glasgow on Friday, 6 November 2026.

Police Scotland said the investigation established that the group was involved in laundering criminal property between 2015 and 2019, with more than £6 million passing through the operation.

The men were found to have organised large cash deposits, transferred money through personal and business bank accounts, and converted criminal proceeds into cryptocurrency assets in an attempt to avoid detection.

All six were convicted of offences under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Detective Sergeant Lesley Buchanan-Barlas said tackling those involved in handling illegally obtained money remained a priority for Police Scotland.

She said cases such as this demonstrated the force’s commitment to identifying and disrupting money laundering activities.

She added that Police Scotland would continue working with partner agencies to investigate financial crime and ensure those responsible were held accountable.

The convictions highlight how cryptocurrency and conventional banking channels can be used together to move and conceal proceeds from criminal activity.