The brother of the Salendine Nook postmaster arrested following an alleged money-laundering operation has spoken out in his defence.
Yassar Khan, brother of the postmaster Mohammed Khan contacted the Examiner following our series of stories about how the sub-office in New Hey Road shut on October 10 for what the Post Office later described as “operational” reasons.
But police revealed this week that the post office was linked to a series of raids in West and South Yorkshire.
Two addresses in Queen’s Road and Gibbet Street, Halifax, were also raided along with another in Sheffield.
A police spokesman said: “On October 10 West Yorkshire Police executed warrants at four addresses in relation to their enquiries, two in Halifax, one in Huddersfield and one in Sheffield.
“Officers have recovered just over £3 million worth of assets including cash and jewellery from the addresses.”
The force spokesman said four people, a woman aged 47, and three men aged 45, 25 and 23 were arrested on suspicion of money laundering offences and were released from police custody pending further investigation.
Yassar Khan said: “I think it’s only fair to give my own statement as he has not been charged.
“My brother is innocent until proven guilty and the raid carried out at my premises does not involve me neither has anyone else from my family been questioned by the police.
“This is important to note as the 23-year-old is not me even though he is the same age as me. I don’t want people thinking all the family was questioned. The other three people were from Halifax.
“I want to point out no assets from the £3 million have been seized from the Post Office. No assets, no cash or jewellery has been seized, nothing. You can confirm this with the police.
“My brother is a proud man, and as a family, so are we for him and he would not, willingly, be involved in any criminal activity.
“He prevented a scam, studied a law degree whilst running the branch and recently installed another counter and changed the layout, planning to give the shop a full refurbishment.
“He is not a flight risk and doesn’t need to run or hide anywhere. As this is an ongoing police investigation my brother will not be making any further statements.”
