A COURIER fraudster has been jailed for more than five years after targeting victims in Dorset and across the South West.

Ernest Arthur, 21, from Sherwood Park Road, London, appeared at Kingston Crown Court yesterday (Tuesday) for sentencing.

His arrest came following an investigation by Zephyr, the south west regional organised crime unit.

Detectives from Zephyr and colleagues of the Metropolitan Police executed search warrants at a number of addresses in October in the capital as part of Operation Clarity – an on-going investigation into fraud and money laundering offences, which had resulted in numerous vulnerable victims in the South West being defrauded out of more than £1m by courier fraudsters.

A dawn operation was conducted by officers in October last year at Arthur's address. He was arrested on suspicion of conspiracy to commit fraud and money laundering.

During a search of the property officers discovered a large quantity of prohibited ammunition and heroin, consisting of:

• 25 x 7.62x25mm bullets

• 79 x 9mm bullets

• 31 x 0.22 long rifle bullets – designed to expand on impact

• 2 x 0.22 long rifle bullets

• 2 x 0.50 bullets – for use in a sniper rifle or machine gun

• 1 x 0.577 bullet

• 2 x 0.44 bullets – designed to expand on impact

• 10 x 0.32 bullets More than 150 bullets were found, of which 33 are subject to general prohibition under the Firearms Act. Also found were a selection of smoke grenades, flash bangs and flares.

Arthur was charged with possession of firearms, possession of heroin with intent to supply and money-laundering offences.

On May 5 this year he admitted possession of the ammunition. The drugs offence and money-laundering offences are to lie on file, while there was no separate sentence imposed for possession of a firearm.

He was jailed for five years for possession of prohibited ammunition and a further six months for breach of a suspended sentence, which are to run consecutively.

DI Tony Hubbard of Zephyr said: “We are pleased with the result at court. Custodial sentences for this type of offence can only help to make our streets a safer place.

“This case has illustrated that fraud is not a victimless crime and that those involved are organised criminals involved in a whole array of illegal activity.

“We are committed to tackling organised crime that targets the most vulnerable in our society and will work with our partner agencies to pursue relentlessly, those involved in this abhorrent crime.

“Over the past 12 months victim losses in the South West for courier fraud type offences are in excess of £2m, accounting for some 700 reported crimes, although we suspect many incidents have not been reported to us."