Locked up in Sussex: These are some of the criminals jailed in March 2024

Sussex’s judges, juries and magistrates were busy in March.

Published 2nd Apr 2024, 10:51 BST

These are some of the most serious, high profile and prolific offenders who were jailed in the third month of 2024.

All information comes directly from Sussex Police.

1. Locked up in Sussex: These are some of the criminals jailed in March 2024

These are some of the most serious, high profile and prolific offenders who were jailed in Sussex in March 2024 Photo: Sussex Police

Two men have been jailed following a complex, six-year money laundering investigation.Behrad Kazemi and Raj Nasta have been sentenced for a combined seven years’ imprisonment after they received millions of pounds worth of payments for fake art.In April 2018, Sussex Police received fraud reports from a number of victims who had been cold called by a company called Asset Consulting Services and Treasury Asset Group.Their victims, the majority of whom were vulnerable and elderly, paid between £2,000 to £3,000 for a framed Dali picture.They were then encouraged to develop their portfolio and invest further monies into pictures by Pablo Picasso. The cost of the pictures ranged from £5,000 to £20,000 each.It was discovered that the pictures were not ‘fine art’, the signatures were not genuine and were in fact valued between £200 and £300.The investigation established that the calls to the victims had begun as far back as October 2016 and over 125 people were identified.Some of these victims had lost their life savings and had paid over £150,000. It was found that a number of victims did not know they had been victims until they were contacted by police.Officers executed a warrant in June 2018 on Kazemi’s property in Crawley and he was arrested on suspicion of money laundering.Examination of his company and banking records showed that between October 2016 and June 2018 over £2.6 million had been received into the company bank accounts.The companies and the bank accounts were set up purely to process the money from the fraud victims and to disseminate it overseas and to third parties, one of these being Nasta.His company Zest2Recruitement operated out of Crawley and East Grinstead.After officers seized their phones, it was clear that both Kazemi and Nasta were a part of an organised crime group based overseas. The majority of the money Kazemi received was sent overseas.Kazemi was later charged with money laundering and Nasta was charged with money laundering and false accounting.On March 13 at

2. Locked up in Sussex: These are some of the criminals jailed in March 2024

Two men have been jailed following a complex, six-year money laundering investigation.Behrad Kazemi and Raj Nasta have been sentenced for a combined seven years’ imprisonment after they received millions of pounds worth of payments for fake art.In April 2018, Sussex Police received fraud reports from a number of victims who had been cold called by a company called Asset Consulting Services and Treasury Asset Group.Their victims, the majority of whom were vulnerable and elderly, paid between £2,000 to £3,000 for a framed Dali picture.They were then encouraged to develop their portfolio and invest further monies into pictures by Pablo Picasso. The cost of the pictures ranged from £5,000 to £20,000 each.It was discovered that the pictures were not ‘fine art’, the signatures were not genuine and were in fact valued between £200 and £300.The investigation established that the calls to the victims had begun as far back as October 2016 and over 125 people were identified.Some of these victims had lost their life savings and had paid over £150,000. It was found that a number of victims did not know they had been victims until they were contacted by police.Officers executed a warrant in June 2018 on Kazemi’s property in Crawley and he was arrested on suspicion of money laundering.Examination of his company and banking records showed that between October 2016 and June 2018 over £2.6 million had been received into the company bank accounts.The companies and the bank accounts were set up purely to process the money from the fraud victims and to disseminate it overseas and to third parties, one of these being Nasta.His company Zest2Recruitement operated out of Crawley and East Grinstead.After officers seized their phones, it was clear that both Kazemi and Nasta were a part of an organised crime group based overseas. The majority of the money Kazemi received was sent overseas.Kazemi was later charged with money laundering and Nasta was charged with money laundering and false accounting.On March 13 at Photo: Sussex Police

A drug-driver lost control of her vehicle and caused a serious head-on collision near Bognor.Keisha Barnes was driving a white Mini Cooper on the A259 at Colworth near the town.She lost control while driving southbound and later told officers she must have fallen asleep at the wheel.The 39-year-old veered into oncoming traffic and collided with a Toyota Verso taxi driving northbound.Barnes had taken cocaine earlier in the night, and the collision caused serious life changing injuries to her passenger.Drug driving is one of the main causes of people being killed or seriously injured on our roads.At Lewes Crown Court on March 13 she admitted causing serious injuries by dangerous driving.

3. Locked up in Sussex: These are some of the criminals jailed in March 2024

A drug-driver lost control of her vehicle and caused a serious head-on collision near Bognor.Keisha Barnes was driving a white Mini Cooper on the A259 at Colworth near the town.She lost control while driving southbound and later told officers she must have fallen asleep at the wheel.The 39-year-old veered into oncoming traffic and collided with a Toyota Verso taxi driving northbound.Barnes had taken cocaine earlier in the night, and the collision caused serious life changing injuries to her passenger.Drug driving is one of the main causes of people being killed or seriously injured on our roads.At Lewes Crown Court on March 13 she admitted causing serious injuries by dangerous driving. Photo: Sussex Police

Two drug dealers have been sentenced following an investigation into an Eastbourne drug line.Seven drug lines were identified by officers which ran between North West London and Eastbourne.Working with Metropolitan Police’s Op Orochi team, it was discovered that these drug lines were linked to Ahmet Arslan (Pictured), 30, of Clandon Gardens, London.Police said that Arslan would operate a drug line from London, and would receive and send messages to multiple drug runners and collect the proceeds.Radovan Vukmir, 42, of Seaside Road, Eastbourne would carry out the exchanges in Eastbourne, on behalf of Arslan.In July 2023, officers from Sussex Police’s Project ADDER team and from the Met Police’s Op Orochi team conducted warrants in Eastbourne and London.Officers carried out a Section 8 PACE warrant at an address in Clandon Gardens, London, where Arslan was arrested, and his phones were seized.Later that day, Vukmir was seen at an alleyway near his home address on Seaside Road, Eastbourne and was arrested. Phones were seized from his address after police conducted a Section 18 warrant.Arslan and Vukmir were charged in July 2023 with being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin and remanded in custody. They both pleaded guilty in January.The pair appeared before Lewes Crown Court on Friday, March 15 for sentencing.Arslan was sentenced to 173 weeks’ imprisonment and Vukmir was sentenced to 101 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 24 months.

4. Locked up in Sussex: These are some of the criminals jailed in March 2024

Two drug dealers have been sentenced following an investigation into an Eastbourne drug line.Seven drug lines were identified by officers which ran between North West London and Eastbourne.Working with Metropolitan Police’s Op Orochi team, it was discovered that these drug lines were linked to Ahmet Arslan (Pictured), 30, of Clandon Gardens, London.Police said that Arslan would operate a drug line from London, and would receive and send messages to multiple drug runners and collect the proceeds.Radovan Vukmir, 42, of Seaside Road, Eastbourne would carry out the exchanges in Eastbourne, on behalf of Arslan.In July 2023, officers from Sussex Police’s Project ADDER team and from the Met Police’s Op Orochi team conducted warrants in Eastbourne and London.Officers carried out a Section 8 PACE warrant at an address in Clandon Gardens, London, where Arslan was arrested, and his phones were seized.Later that day, Vukmir was seen at an alleyway near his home address on Seaside Road, Eastbourne and was arrested. Phones were seized from his address after police conducted a Section 18 warrant.Arslan and Vukmir were charged in July 2023 with being concerned in the supply of crack cocaine and heroin and remanded in custody. They both pleaded guilty in January.The pair appeared before Lewes Crown Court on Friday, March 15 for sentencing.Arslan was sentenced to 173 weeks’ imprisonment and Vukmir was sentenced to 101 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 24 months. Photo: Sussex Police