BALE GIRL’S UNCLE HELD IN COP RAID Officers find £100k up chimney
AN uncle of Gareth Bale’s fiancée has been arrested on suspicion of money laundering.
Police say they found £100,000 cash stuffed up a chimney at Graham McMurray’s home.
Mr McMurray, 50, who is said to dote on his niece Emma Rhys-Jones, has been caught up in a vendetta believed to be over a suitcase of money belonging to a drugs gang.
Four cars belonging to Emma’s family have been set on fire since the case, containing a reported £500,000, went missing two months ago.
Her aunt Annabella Williams, 55, has also been arrested on suspicion of money laundering.
Security has been stepped up around Real Madrid hero Bale, 27, his wife-to-be and their two baby daughters.
A family insider said: “Emma is having a terrible time over it.
“Graham is her favourite uncle – he has no kids of his own so he looks on her as a daughter.
“She and Gareth are worried sick because they don’t know where it’s all going to end.”
The suitcase reportedly vanished from the home of Emma’s grandparents, John, 79, and Eva McMurray, 83, who were unaware it was there.
The pair have been in protective custody since their car was set on fire and bricks were thrown through the EXCLUSIVE BILL FRANCIS window of their former council house in Llanishen, Cardiff.
The family source said: “The money apparently belongs to a drugs gang who want it back.
“Now two of Emma’s close family have been arrested.”
Our insider said South Wales Police raided Mr McMurray’s terraced twobedroomed house in Pontypridd on the day of his arrest.
A neighbour told us: “There was a lot of police activity and they were searching inside for a few hours.
“No one here even knew Mr McMurray was connected to Gareth Bale – he lives on his own with a Yorkshire terrier.
“We haven’t seen him since the police came.”
South Wales Police have confirmed the arrests of a man, 50, from Pontypridd and a woman, 55, from Flint, north Wales.
A police source also confirmed that a large sum of money had been recovered.
Mr McMurray and Mrs Williams have both been freed on bail while police inquiries continue.
Emma’s businessman father Martin Rhys-Jones is in prison in the United States for his part in a multi-million pound shares scam.
Our source added: “She is afraid her family is falling apart – her dad’s in jail and her aunt and uncle are on bail.”