Guilty fraudster hunted by police

A manhunt has been launched to locate a 56-year-old man who was found with a credit card cloning machine and fake documents.

Mohammed Kareem was sentenced to a year in prison but failed to show up to Isleworth Crown Court and is now being searched for by police.

Officers had originally been investigating Mohammed Kareem and his partner in crime Shreeharen Dharmalingam, 48, in connection with drugs offences

Met Police in Hillingdon worked on gathering information on the men, both of Marlow gardens in Hayes, eventually securing a Section 23 misuse of drugs search warrant for a property in Marlow Gardens.

The home was raided on April 11 last year but officers found no drugs.

However, Kareem, Dharmalingam and two other men were found in a rear outbuilding with a machine which cloned credit cards.

Kareem is wanted by police after failing to turn up to his sentencing hearing

Police also found a number of embossed blank cards and various fake documents used in the pair’s scam.

While the four men were arrested for possession of articles for use in fraud, two men from inside the house were arrested “for immigration matters”.

Acting police sergeant Kaz Husinzade worked to piece together account details, bank transactions and check the passports and residence permits seized.

The 129 documents examined showed the group were using fraudulent accounts and transfers and had faked Home Office documents.

Shreeharen Dharmalingam was charged with two counts of possession of articles for use in fraud and Mohammed Kareem with three.

Both men pleaded not guilty but were convicted of the offences by a jury on July 26 at Isleworth Crown Court.

On Tuesday August 6, the judge sentenced both fraudsters to twelve months imprisonment, but Kareem did not show up and was sentenced in his absence.

APS Huzindade said: “Kareem and Dharmalingham have fraudulently stolen hard working people’s money by creating false documents, opening accounts and stealing bank details of several vulnerable victims.

“We found that, in some cases, people failed to report a bank card lost or stolen, making it easier for the pair to commit these offences.

“Mohammed Kareem failed to appear at court for sentencing but we are actively seeking him and ask anyone who has seen him or know of his whereabouts to contact 101 quoting reference 01XH/01205/18 or alternatively you can contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at crimestoppers-uk.org. “

Mohammed Kareem failed to appear at Isleworth Crown Court when he was jailed for fraud