IFB hails police partnership and calls for vigilance

Crashed Car

Seven men have been sentenced for their roles in three fraudulent insurance claims totalling more than £50,000.

Harrow Crown Court heard on Friday how Ali Saleem Akhter and Jamshid Ahmadzai were the main players in an organised gang who made money from induced collisions.

A third 39 year old member of the gang, wanted in connection with all three claims, remains at large.

This latest conviction, which followed a joint investigation between the Insurance Fraud Bureau and the Metropolitan Police Service, prompted a warning to the public to remain vigilant against car insurance fraud following an increase in so called ‘cash for crash’ insurance claims.

IFB director Glen Marr said: “This is another example of the ability of the insurance industry, Police and IFB, to successfully work together to bring those concerned with organised insurance fraud, to justice.”

DCI Nick Chalmers from the MPS traffic unit investigations team said: “In the past 18 months more than 100 people have been arrested by the MPS as part of numerous investigations in relation to vehicle insurance fraud.

“Many of them have never been in trouble with the police before but are lured in the misheld belief that there are no risks and the money is easy to make.

“They will now have a criminal record which will affect their job and other prospects.”