Five people have been sentenced to a total of 25 years in prison for building and distributing skimming devices to steal money from ticket machines and cash machines on London Underground and around the world.
The organised crime gang were convicted as a result of Operation Academy, a British Transport Police investigation which began in April 2014.
The skimming devices that the gang built and distributed could be plugged into any ticket or ATM machine, to record the card details of whoever used the machine.
They obtained bank card data from cards used at banks, travel terminals, London Underground stations and petrol pumps.
The group sold the devices and stolen card details to criminal associates around the world.
They were all sentenced for conspiracy to defraud at Blackfriars Crown Court yesterday (19/12).
Ionel Baluta, aged 33, of Harwich Road Colchester, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud financial institutions, one count of conspiracy to commit fraud and one count of possession of a forged identity document with intent.
He was sentenced to six years and eight months’ imprisonment for the first count, six years’ imprisonment for the second count and 12 months’ imprisonment for possession of the forged document, to be served concurrently.
Andre Baloui, aged 31, of Maryon Road, Charlton, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud financial institutions and one count of conspiracy to commit fraud.
He was sentenced to five years’ imprisonment and four years’ imprisonment, to run concurrently.
Anisoara Mitocaru, aged 33, of High Road, Radlett, pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to defraud financial institutions and one count of supply of articles for use in fraud.
She was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment and 18 months’ imprisonment, to run concurrently.
Florin Enache, aged 39, of Beamway, Dagenham, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to defraud financial institutions and one count of conspiracy to commit fraud.
He was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment and five years’ imprisonment, to be served concurrently.
Dumitru Mihaila, aged 41, of Caledon Road, Eastham, was found guilty of one count of conspiracy to defraud financial institutions and one count of conspiracy to make and supply articles for use in fraud.
He was sentenced to four years and six months in prison for each offence, to be served concurrently.
The offences took place between April 2015 and February 2016.
Intelligence led BTP offices to Baluta and his home in Harwich Road, Colchester where he was conducting a manufacturing business from a shed in the garden.
Covert surveillance revealed that Baluta was in fact part of a criminal network dealing in the manufacture and distribution of skimming devices both in the UK and worldwide.
He was in regular contact with associates both over the phone and in person, including Skype contact with people across the UK, America, China, The Philippines, Europe and the Middle East.
Associates visited his house on a regular basis to discuss, collect and order devices.
These associates include Mihaila, Baloui, Enache and Mitocaru.
Baluta sent thousands of credit and debit card details to his contacts, and enquiries with banking institutions revealed a large amount of these cards were subject to fraud.
Further conversations suggest that he was also involved in the manufacture and supply of forged identity documents and cloned credit and debit cards.
Investigating officer, Det Con Terry Botten from the BTP Organised Crime Team, said: “This was a professional organised criminal network that was living off criminal proceeds stolen from people around the world. The reality is their activity can and does have a marked impact on private individuals and financial establishments.
“This has been a lengthy investigation to unpick the group’s set-up and identify those involved, and I am pleased that they have now been sentenced and will serve prison sentences for their crimes.”
