Benefits cheat tried to leave UK with £50,000 stuffed down her leggings

A benefits cheat was caught after police found £50,000 stuffed down her leggings as she tried to leave the country via the Channel Tunnel.

Polish nationals Wiktoria Packowska and her partner Wojciech Kowalski were jailed for four years each for defrauding the taxpayer of more than £700,000 in bogus claims.

They created false bank accounts, identity documents and utility bills to make more than 80 false claims across a three-year period.

Their offending came to light in June 2020 when they tried to leave the UK via the Channel Tunnel with £50,000 cash hidden inside Packowska’s leggings and a further £12,000 in her handbag.

Both were arrested on suspicion of money laundering and a search of their home in Ilford, east London, was carried out.

Inside officers removed a kitchen kickboard and found a carrier bag containing a vast quantity of mobile phones, bank cards and documents linking them to fraudulent activity.

Kowalski and Packowska, both 28, were released on bail pending further inquiries but continued to claim for benefits they were not entitled to and were arrested again in August 2021.

They pleaded guilty to conspiracy to defraud, possessing articles for use in fraud and possessing criminal property, and were sentenced at Canterbury Crown Court in Kent on Monday.

The investigation into their criminal activity was carried out by detectives from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate with assistance from the Department for Work and Pensions.

Det Con Stuart Tracey, from the serious crime directorate, said: “Wojciech Kowalski and Wiktoria Packowska abused the benefits system and cheated their way towards vast sums of money intended for people who needed it more than they did.

“They created multiple false identities to commit their crimes and even lied about where they lived when they were first arrested at the Channel Tunnel.

“However they could not escape the truth for long and are both now behind bars as a result.”