HARSHA RUPASINGHE

Operation Curve, HMRC

Representing multiple defendants being investigated for a multi-million-pound money laundering operation via money service bureaus.

Operation Reconverge, Croydon Crown Court

Representing clients accused of multi-million-pound money laundering scheme between the UK and UAE, and membership of an Organised Crime Group. Read more in the Guardian.

Operation Laith, Croydon Crown Court (VHCC)

Represented a defendant in a £44 million cyber-fraud investigated by the FBI in the United States and prosecuted in the United Kingdom by the CPS.

R v Subramanian, Blackfriars Crown Court

Represented a defendant in a £430 million global fraud investigation spanning 22 countries, led by the United States Secret Service, FBI and SOCA (the forerunner to the NCA) and prosecuted in the United Kingdom by the CPS.  Read more in the Guardian.

Operation Prelacy, Southwark Crown Court    

Represented a defendant in a £200 million fraud investigated by SOCA (the forerunner to the NCA).  Read more on the Guardian.

Operation Viking, Southwark Crown Court   

Represented a defendant in a £150 million fraud investigated by HMRC.  

Operation Civilian, Southwark Crown Court (VHCC)

Represented a defendant in a £137 million fraud investigated by HMRC and prosecuted by the CPS.  Read more in the Times.

Operation Veneer, Southwark Crown Court

Represented a defendant in a £150 million fraud investigated and prosecuted by HMRC.  Read more on the Daily Mail.

Operation Enderby 2 (Phase 1), Central Criminal Court  

Represented the first defendant of sixteen in a money laundering case concerning the United Kingdom and Hong Kong that was being investigated by the NCA.

Operation Enderby 2 (Phase 2), Central Criminal Court  

Represented defendant in the second trial involving money laundering between the United Kingdom and Hong Kong. The case was investigated by the NCA. The trial collapsed after the defence uncovered errors in the prosecution case resulting in the presiding  Judge stating they were ‘beyond negligence’. Read more on the Guardian.

Operation Yuletide, Southwark Crown Court

Represented a defendant in a €100 million fraud concerning a large multinational company where funds were laundered through Malta, Spain, Lichtenstein, United Kingdom, Hong Kong, Pakistan, Cyprus and Sri Lanka. The defendant managed to divert £1,000,000 using a UK solicitor’s account and posing as Pope Francis’ banker. Read more in the Financial Times.

Operation Daniel, Southwark Crown Court (VHCC)

Represented a defendant in a £12 million pharmaceutical fraud case investigated and prosecuted by the MHRA.  

R v Zaidi and Abbas, Kingston Crown Court (VHCC)

Represented a defendant in a multi-million-pound global conspiracy to distribute counterfeit pharmaceuticals prosecuted by the MHRA.  

R v Rasool, Manchester Crown Court  

Represented a defendant in a large-scale conspiracy to defraud Apple iTunes.  Read more on the BBC.

R v Arachchi, Southwark Crown Court  

Represented a defendant in a £69 million money laundering case prosecuted by HMRC.

Operation Dorper, Central Criminal Court  

Represented a defendant in a SOCA (the forerunner to the NCA) investigation into a Trojan virus cybercrime sent via job adverts on Gumtree. This was also referred to as the Harrods Fraud in the popular media. Read more on the BBC.

Operation Heartsease, Southwark Crown Court  

Represented a defendant alleged to have conspired with a group to fake his kidnap and blackmail his father for $1,000,000.00 in gold bullion.  Read more in the Daily Mail.

Operation Tarlac, Leicester Crown Court  

Represented a defendant charged with conspiring to defraud and launder in excess of £12 million. The victims were government organisations such as the NHS. 10 separate conspiracies were identified with over 17 defendants.  Read more on the BBC.

Operation Enstone, Southwark Crown Court

Represented defendant that is involved in a large-scale fraud and money laundering investigation with cash values over £200 million.  

Operation Arylide, Southwark Crown Court  

Represented a client charged with money laundering, forgery and regulatory offences dating back to 2014. These offences were allegedly commissioned via the defendant’s money exchange business.

Operation Susumo, Southwark Crown Court  

Represented a defendant charged with money laundering and regulatory offences in respect of three separate money exchange bureaus. Covert recordings were heavily relied on by the prosecution. The company alleged to have laundered over £60 million.  

Operation Cassius, Harrow Crown Court  

Represented a defendant who was charged with providing services to overseas students to fraudulently meet requirements to obtain visas to remain in the UK. This trial was a direct result of a Panorama investigation which brought the matter to the attention of Theresa May (then Home Secretary) and has since led to the controversial detention and deportation of in excess of 1,000 students.  Read more on the BBC and the Guardian.

R v Bala, Canterbury Crown Court  

Represented the partner of a doctor posing as a Nigerian Prince who was accused of immigration fraud. The alleged fraud was in excess of £86 million.  Read more on the Daily Mail.

Operation Centime, Southwark Crown Court

Represented a company director accused of committing VAT fraud totalling some £12.8 million over four years. HMRC prosecuted this case in which they accused the defendant of raising false invoices before transferring the proceeds of ill-gotten VAT refunds offshore to companies in Montenegro and Hong Kong. Read more on Law 360.

Operation Wrestler, Southwark Crown Court

Represented a defendant accused of causing losses exceeding £1 million to financial companies via a complex short firm fraud scheme. Read more on Law 360.

Operation Flan, St Albans Crown Court

Representing clients charged with money laundering offences estimated at over £5.2 million. Linked to an international conspiracy to import and supply Class A drugs.

Operation Limestone, Southwark Crown Court

Representing director and main shareholder of limited company, who is accused of having laundered in excess of £40 million through his bank accounts. The NCA prosecute this matter, in which they claim that platforms in Hong Kong, India, Singapore, and Dubai have been used in an international money laundering scheme.

Operation Dawley, Inner London Crown Court

Represented defendant accused of laundering the proceeds of phishing via a network of puppet companies. The victims of the phishing lost monies in excess of £7 million.

R v MA, Kingston Crown Court

The defendant, a tax advisor and a partner in a reputed firm, was prosecuted for jointly running a Ponzi scheme. The defendants are alleged to have benefitted in tens of millions of pounds and the victims involve high net worth individuals. Enquiries conducted are in the UK, Singapore and Thailand. The proceedings commenced after a private prosecution was instigated by a group of individuals who had fallen victim to the scheme.

Operation Blue, Caernarfon Crown Court

Fraud and money laundering offences of multi-million dollars were investigated by North Wales Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in Boston, America.

Operation Diazoma, Southwark Crown Court

Investigation into a large-scale fraud by the Counter Terrorism Unit of the Metropolitan Police.

Operation Nuneaton, Blackfriars Crown Court

Represented defendant accused of shooting man at point blank range whilst riding in the pillion seat on a motorcycle.  

Operation Nervurr, Central Criminal Court

Representing defendant accused of conspiracy to commit murder by shooting a man through the post box of his flat, whilst his partner and two-year-old child were on the premises.

Operation Curial, St Albans Crown Court

Represented a defendant charged with conspiracy to commit child destruction. This was one of the few times this offence has been prosecuted in England and Wales. Read more on the Daily Mail.

Operation Pandewan, Central Criminal Court

Represented a defendant charged with murder of a transgender woman in an airport hotel. This case also formed the subject matter for a Sky documentary. Read more on the Guardian.

Operation Patos, Central Criminal Court

Represented a defendant charged with murder by shooting and stabbing alongside 2 others. Case involved examination of drill and gang culture. Read more in the Daily Mail.

R v Malik, Harrow Crown Court

Represented a defendant in an attempted murder on Empire Way, Wembley where the victim was stabbed nine times and was left with no recollection of the incident. The defendant was found not guilty. Read more on the Standard.

Operation Jardim, Central Criminal Court

Represented a defendant that was charged with the murder of Sabrina Moss on Kilburn High Road. Additional charges in this case were attempted murder, possession of a firearm with intent to endanger life, and conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm. Read more on the Guardian.

Operation Rubytail, Nottingham Crown Court

Represented a defendant that was charged with murder along with seven others was accused of a botched revenge attack whereby they tried to set fire to a house whilst a mother and her three children slept. Read more on the Daily Mail.

Operation Ewe, Luton Crown Court

Represented a defendant charged with the murder of his employee.

Operation Homebush, Central Criminal Court

Represented the defendant charged with the murder of Thierry Gnankumar in Lewisham. Read more on the BBC.

Operation Geneview, Central Criminal Court

Represented the defendant charged with the murder of Negus McClean that was killed by stabbing; this was a gang related case. Read more on the Guardian.

R v Garang, Central Criminal Court

Represented a defendant charged with the murder of a 23-year-old in the Woodgreen area. This was alleged to be a revenge attack stemming from a previous financial transaction.  Read more on the Guardian.

Operation Lightpill, Central Criminal Court  

Representing a client who was one of eight that was charged with one count of murder, four counts of attempted murder and one count of violent disorder. Read more on the Sun. 

Operation Marldon, Central Criminal Court  

Represented a client who was one of three charged with murdering celebrity bodyguard Ricky Hayden. Read more in the Guardian. 

Operation Maidenwell, Central Criminal Court  

Represented a client that had been charged with one count of murder by allegedly carrying out a shooting using a Skorpian machine gun. Read more on the BBC.

Operation Lington, Central Criminal Court  

Represented a client charged with one count of murder and two counts of possession with intent to supply and defended the client as such that he was acquitted of murder but convicted of manslaughter on a joint basis after a three-week trial.  

Operation Jengan, Central Criminal Court  

Represented a defendant acquitted of the murder of a victim who sustained six gunshot wounds inside a nightclub. The defendant was arrested in Jamaica and extradited to UK to stand trial.  He was ultimately acquitted. Read more on the BBC.

Operation Kappacorner, Central Criminal Court  

Represented a client acquitted of murder and convicted of manslaughter.  

Operation Pipette, Central Criminal Court  

Represented a client charged with causing and allowing the death of a vulnerable adult, who was a family member. The defendant was acquitted of murder.  Read more on the BBC.

Operation Laira, Central Criminal Court  

Represented a client charged with the murder of his wife within the family home.  Read more on the BBC.

R v Miah, Central Criminal Court  

Represented the defendant in a murder case that became a landmark ruling in baby shaking murder prosecutions. The defendant was acquitted of murder.  Read more on the Telegraph.

R v Anantharaja, Central Criminal Court  

Represented a defendant in a Tamil gangland murder and attempted murder case.  

R v Lumbango, Central Criminal Court  

Represented a defendant in a murder by stabbing. The client was alleged to have serious involvement with south London gangs. Read more on the BBC.

R v Pham, Central Criminal Court  

Represented a defendant charged with murder. The prosecution alleged that defendant was a prominent Vietnamese gang member and was involved in managing number of cannabis farms in South London area. The defendant was acquitted of murder. Read more on the BBC.

R v Dhaqane, Central Criminal Court  

Represented a defendant charged with murder. The prosecution alleged that defendant was prominent member of a Somalian gang in north London. He was described during the trial as the main suspect. The defendant was acquitted of murder.  

R v Reis Relvas, Central Criminal Court  

Represented a defendant charged with murder. The defendant was known as a gang leader and prosecution alleged that attack was pre-planned by the defendant.  Read more on the BBC.

R v Singh, Central Criminal Court  

Represented a defendant charged with murder. This was prosecuted as an honour-based crime. The defendant was alleged to have been contracted to carry out the killing.  Read more on the Guardian.

R v Bucknor, Central Criminal Court  

Represented a defendant charged with murder caused by shooting and then subsequently driving away. The prosecution alleged that defendant was a prominent member of a gang in south London.  Read more on the Daily Mail.  

R v Jachimowicz, St Albans Crown Court  

Represented a defendant charged with murder whereby it was alleged that he had killed his father and buried the body in the garden. The defendant was acquitted of murder.  Read more on the Daily Mail.

R v Baboi, Birmingham Crown Court 

Represented a defendant extradited from Romania to the UK to face charges of murder.  It was alleged that the Defendant murdered David McArthur, a quantity surveyor, after being invited into his home for sex, two weeks after he had been released from prison. Read more on the BBC.

R v OA (a youth), Central Criminal Court

Represented a defendant charged with murder. This was a gang related case where the incident happened in broad daylight at a bookmakers on Old Kent Road. The defendant was acquitted of murder. Read more on the Metro.

R v Kuci, Central Criminal Court

Represented a defendant charged with conspiracy to murder; an honour-based revenge attack was allegedly carried out by throwing acid. The defendant was acquitted of murder.  Read more on the Guardian.

R v Mclnerney, Woolwich Crown Court  

Represented a defendant charged with the attempted murder of a police officer.  

R v Sultana, St Albans Crown Court  

Represented a defendant charged with false imprisonment and perverting the course of justice in relation to a murder (the “thumb from the sky” case). The defendant was acquitted of murder.  Read more on the Times.

Operation Burgundy, St Albans Crown Court

Represented a defendant charged with 3 others following a murder by stabbing. It was alleged the victim was lured to the scene following a dispute over money owed. The defendant was acquitted of Murder but convicted of Manslaughter.

Operation Osmoregulation, Central Criminal Court 

Represented a defendant charged with an offence of conspiracy to supply a Firearm in the preparation of Terrorism Offences. This was one of several foiled plots by the Counter Terrorism Squad in 2017. This was also the first time children as young as 9 were alleged to have been groomed to commit terrorist activities. Read more on the Guardian.

Operation Lopezia, Birmingham Crown Court

Represented a defendant accused of possessing terrorist material. Case arises due to liaison between the Italian and British authorities.

Operation Deepish, Central Criminal Court

Represented defendant accused of disseminating terrorist material and radicalising his family members. Read more on the Guardian.

Operation Bagonda, Central Criminal Court  

Represented a youth alleged to disseminating Terrorist Material via YouTube and other social media channels.  

Operation Iridescent, Southwark Crown Court  

Represented a defendant in respect to a multinational counter-terrorism investigation into the supply/sale of a drug called khat across Europe and North America; the proceeds of which were alleged to have funded a terrorist organisation in Somalia called Al-Shabaab. Read more in The Argus.

Operation Paledale, Bradford Crown Court

Represented a defendant charged with inflicting Grievous Bodily Harm and Violent disorder. The defendant was alleged to have been involved in an incident with 9 others who were all described as being part of a gang. The incident resulted in a fatality.

• Operation Netwing, Luton Crown Court

Represented a defendant in respect of a slavery conspiracy investigated by the Hertfordshire Police’s Major Crime Unit and prosecuted by the CPS.  This was one of the first large prosecutions under the 2010 legislation. The defendant was acquitted. Read more on Wikipedia or the Guardian.

• Operation Fort, Birmingham Crown Court, 2018-2021

Representing clients charged with human trafficking and modern slavery offence in one of the largest human trafficking cases ever to be heard in the UK. Case formed the subject of a Panorama documentary. The defendant was acquitted of the main offence. Watch it here or read more on the Guardian.  

• Operation Garnet, Chelmsford Crown Court, 2018-19

Representing client accused of committing offences contrary to the Modern Slavery Act 2010. Case dismissed at half time during re-trial. Read more on the BBC.

• R v Wang, Norwich Crown Court  

Represented a defendant who was charged with conspiracy to commit prostitution related offences. The defendant was alleged to have led a group involved in trafficking young women for prostitution. The defendant was acquitted. Read more on the BBC.

• R v Szabova, Guildhall Middlesex Crown Court  

Represented a defendant who was charged in a human trafficking and prostitution conspiracy. The defendant was alleged to have managed brothels for an Albanian gang. A number of victims were caged and used as prostitutes.  

• Operation Sendal, Croydon Crown Court  

Represented a defendant that faced a SOCA (the forerunner to the NCA) investigation in relation to the facilitation of non-EU migrant’s illegal into UK and across Europe.  

• Operation Curfew, Kingston Crown Court  

Represented a defendant that faced a SOCA (the forerunner to the NCA) investigation in relation to the facilitation of non-EU migrant’s illegal into UK and across Europe.  

• Operation Gesticulate, Kingston Crown Court

Represented a defendant that faced a SOCA investigation in relation to the facilitation of illegal immigrants. The defendant was alleged to have manufactured the documentation required in the facilitation.

• Operation Veerde, Isleworth Crown Court

Represented a defendant who was alleged to have been involved in the trafficking of vulnerable young females from Czech Republic for sexual exploitation and sham marriages in the United Kingdom. The defendant was acquitted in the re-trial.  

• Operation Dryad, Chelmsford Crown Court  

Represented a defendant charged with multiple sexual offences including rape of a minor. The defendant was part of a sex grooming gang. The defendant was acquitted. Read more in the Daily Mail. 

• Operation Rakuyou, Southwark Crown Court

Represented the lead defendant involved in the trafficking of females, mostly Romanian, into the United Kingdom for the purpose of sexually exploiting them.  

Operation Yena, Central Criminal Court  

Represented a defendant charged with multiple counts of conspiracy to commit armed robbery. The allegation was that the defendant, with others, had attempted an audacious heist at a post office, armed with numerous firearms. Read more on the Evening Standard.

R v Beyene, Woolwich Crown Court  

Represented a defendant charged with being involved in a £40 million armed robbery at the Graff Diamond jeweller. This was the largest diamond heist in UK history – read more on the Guardian or Wikipedia.

R v Toomist, Leeds Crown Court  

Represented a defendant extradited from Estonia for a number of high value jewellery robberies in the Leeds area.   

R v Sarik, Leeds Crown Court  

Represented a defendant charged with committing the robbery of a high value jeweller.  Read more on the Telegraph.   

Operation Sanga, Central Criminal Court   

Represented a defendant in a two-year campaign of armed robberies that was subsequently investigated by the Flying Squad.  

Operation Buccina, Inner London Crown Court

Represented defendant accused of sophisticated diamond theft from the Silver Vaults on Chancery Lane in central London. Read more on the Daily Mail.

Operation Khaja, Birmingham Crown Court

The case involved the interception of UK based individuals linked to a Dutch organised crime group running a conspiracy to import Class A drugs into the UK between April 2014 and June 2015. The drugs were transported in a fleet of false Dutch registered ambulances on at least 45 occasions with an estimated value of drugs amounting to £1.6 billion. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/nov/17/drug-smugglers-fake-ambulance-rammed-cocaine-heroin-court-hears

Operation Chopito, Southwark Crown Court

Represented the lead defendant who allegedly orchestrated the importation of multiple kilograms of Cocaine along with Ammunition into the UK from South America. The criminality spanned over a year with co-conspirators being staff working at Heathrow Airport.

Operation Boreas, Birmingham Crown Court

Representing a client arrested on suspicion of conspiring to murder a police officer. The defendant and 8 others now face conspiracy charges of supplying firearms with intent and Class A and B drugs.

Operation Guard, St. Albans Crown Court  

Represented a client charged with conspiracy to supply £10 million worth of drugs from Belgium to the UK in re-sprayed vehicles on 28 occasions. Client was acquitted.

R v DJ, Southwark Crown Court 

Representing a defendant in a £12 million pharmaceutical fraud case investigated and prosecuted by the MHRA.  

Operation Opaque & Rome, Central Criminal Court

Representing a defendant in a £150 million drug conspiracy investigated by SOCA (the forerunner to the NCA) and Dutch authorities and prosecuted by the CPS.  

R v Kavenar, Canterbury Crown Court  

Represented a defendant charged with importing 2500kg of Class B drugs.    

R v A Buddi, Birmingham Crown Court  

Represented a defendant, who was a Hungarian national and lorry driver, in a £8.5 million-pound importation of cigarettes case prosecuted by HMRC.  

Operation Pulex, Croydon Crown Court

Represented a defendant charged with conspiring to import Class A and Class B drugs. The defendant was part of a sophisticated scheme in which corrupt baggage handlers assisted in the industrial-scale importation of drugs. Read more in the Daily Mail.

R v Cuni, Blackfriars Crown Court  

The Crown alleged that the defendant had brought in excess of 60kg high purity Class A drugs  to the UK on 34 occasions in a Bentley. Sentence was successfully appealed at the Court of Appeal.  Read more in the Telegraph.

Operation Demolish, Maidstone Crown Court

Represented a defendant charged with conspiring to supply Class A drugs in a case that involved eighteen defendants.

Operation Pagoda, Harrow Crown Court

Represented a defendant charged with conspiring to supply Class A drugs over a period of time in the Hertfordshire area that were estimated to be over £4 million. Read more on the Daily Mail.