A Norwich man has been sentenced to nine years in prison after he was caught laundering nearly £385,000 through his bank accounts. Daniel Brown, 37, of Pye Court, received the sentence at Norwich Crown Court on 30 March 2026.
The investigation into Brown began after his letting agent discovered drugs at his apartment on Surrey Street while addressing a water leak. Police officers found 3.3kg of herbal cannabis and approximately £80,000 in cash at the property. Subsequent searches at a second address on Geoffrey Watling Way revealed 1.75kg of cocaine, another £21,000 in cash, and various luxury items, including a Rolex watch and diamond-encrusted jewellery.
Financial enquiries conducted by HM Revenue and Customs confirmed that Brown had declared no legal earnings between March 2022 and October 2025, despite the large sums of money passing through his accounts. After initially fleeing the country, Brown was arrested on 26 October 2025 at Heathrow Airport as he sat in a first-class seat on an incoming flight.
The nine-year sentence handed down by the court is notably higher than standard guidelines for the amount of money involved. Under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002, cases involving this sum with high culpability typically carry a starting point of five years in custody, with a sentencing range of three to six years, though the law allows for a maximum of 14 years. Sentencing Council guidelines help judges determine these terms based on the severity of the crime.
Brown had previously pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply cocaine and cannabis, as well as several counts related to the possession and concealment of criminal property. This case highlights ongoing efforts by the Norfolk Constabulary to target the networks that move criminal proceeds, a significant issue in the region where Action Fraud reported that residents lost over £4.5 million to investment fraud in 2024 alone.
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