Brit mum ‘who led £104m smuggling ring and recruited Joe Calzaghe’s ex’ has been cornered in Dubai
A BRITISH mum said to have led a £104million cash smuggling ring has been cornered in Dubai.
Michelle Clarke, 42, is wanted by the UK’s answer to the FBI.
The married mother of two is also under investigation by authorities in the UAE.
A source said she could not leave the country until their inquiries had ended.
Clarke is alleged to have recruited mules including Jo-Emma Larvin — a model ex of Welsh boxer Joe Calzaghe.
Larvin, 44, was last week convicted of shifting £5million in suitcases from London’s Heathrow Airport to Dubai.
A gang — paid £3,000 a trip — would fly business class so they had more luggage and could check in later to lower the risk of being caught.
Members moved £104million in suitcases on 83 Emirates flights in just 18 months.
Former Sky TV digital co-ordinator Clarke is believed to be living on the exclusive Dubai Hills estate and is among the National Crime Agency’s most wanted suspects.
Clarke, from Leeds, has previously been questioned by authorities in Dubai on behalf of the NCA.
She is said to have ordered couriers to only use pay-as-you-go mobile SIM cards.
Larvin’s trial heard Clarke set up a WhatsApp group called Sunshine and Lollipops to arrange trips.
Larvin was found guilty of removing criminal property after two money-moving trips to Dubai.
She was convicted along with her boyfriend Jonathan Johnson, 55.
The pair — who will be sentenced later — crammed £2.8million in eight suitcases on one trip.
They declared the cash after landing in Dubai, passing over a letter authorising them to carry it from a company called Omnivest.
Kingpin Abdulla Alfalasi, 48, from Dubai, was caged for more than nine years last year for money laundering.
Dubai police did not respond to a request for comment on Clarke yesterday.