When was the last time anyone was able to go on exuberant holidays and buy fancy cars in cash in this expensive era? Allegedly, a shopping assistant from Manchester who worked part time in Matalan spent a humongous £200,000 on numerous of luxurious holidays with her husband who is a self-proclaimed personal trainer. A court heard that she was able to fund these holidays from a family-run cocaine trafficking racket.
Colleen Campbell, 33, allegedly relied on tax credits while working part time in retail and yet managed to fund several holidays with her husband, Thomas Campbell, 33, travelling to exotic destinations such as Mexico, Egypt, Gran Canaria, plus many more places.
It has been revealed that the couple went on a 10-day family holiday to Cancun in 2013 and allegedly paid the cost, £10,000 in cash, and also chartered a motorboat.
The court was also informed that from 2012 to 2016, Colleen Campbell had also allegedly paid cash deposits for Mercedes, Audi and BMW vehicles.
The couple's mothers, Lynn Campbell, 60, and Theresa Bowden, 59, are accused of money laundering to aid fund their children's extravagant lifestyle while also benefitting from the money themselves. It has also been revealed that the mothers had also joined their children on these expensive holidays and also paid the entire amount in cash to the travel agents.
Prosecutor Henry Blackshaw said, “This couple are a big fish in a medium pond living well off the back of criminality. They are charged with being involved in criminal property, using the cash and being able to spend it in legitimate ways. Together the family connections contributed to the way that Thomas and Colleen were living. They benefited from extreme profit off the back of illegal drug dealing.”
Thomas and Colleen Campbell, Lynn Campbell and Theresa Bowden deny one charge of converting criminal property. The hearing continues.
