A Royal Mail worker has been sentenced to six years and nine months in prison for stealing cannabis-filled parcels and amassing nearly £1.2 million in illicit cash. Amjad Ali, 50, pleaded guilty to multiple offenses related to a cannabis supply operation.
Authorities stated that Ali abused his position at a Royal Mail logistics center, identifying parcels suspected of containing drugs before they underwent X-ray screening. He then redirected these packages for his personal gain. This operation reportedly spanned from 2024 to 2025. Ali relabeled the parcels and arranged for their delivery to various addresses, including his own home.
The scheme unraveled on December 12 of the previous year when Thames Valley Police executed a series of warrants at properties linked to Ali. During searches of his residence, vehicle, and a storage facility, officers discovered £1,185,420 in cash concealed within a storage locker. An additional £42,290 was found at his home address, bringing the total cash seizure to over £1.2 million. Police believe this sum represents proceeds from the onward sale of cannabis and is the largest cash seizure ever made by Thames Valley Police.
Following his arrest, Ali was charged and subsequently pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of a Class B drug, theft of parcels, possessing criminal property, and the possession of an offensive weapon in a private place. PC Filippo Brancato, the investigating officer, commented that Ali believed he had found a lucrative way to exploit his role but that the sentence demonstrates that crime does not pay. Brancato added that money seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act will be reinvested into policing and community initiatives.
A spokesperson for Royal Mail stated that the company takes criminal activity within its network very seriously and works closely with law enforcement agencies to support investigations.