A Harold Hill man, along with four others, was sentenced at court on Wednesday, for his part in a fake bank and credit card factory.

Lamarl Brown, 25, of Heaton Way, pleaded guilty to one count of possessing articles for use in fraud at Blackfriars Crown Court.

After a tip-off linked fraudulent activity to a UK phone number belonging to Gabriel Yew, 45, of Hornsey, officers from the Met’s Falcon (Fraud and Linked Crime Online) squad discovered the factory.

Police examined the phone and found conversations with details of orders being placed for fake cards by other individuals, including Brown.

From the factory, false bank and credit cards were used and supplied across the capital and mainland Europe.

Det Ch Ins Andy Gould, from Falcon, said: “Gabriel Yew supplied fake credit cards in bulk for criminals all over London.

“The excellent and painstaking detective work of the Metropolitan Police’s Falcon Taskforce identified Yew and his card factory then gathered sufficient high quality evidence to convict these defendants at court.

“This shows our determination to tackle the organised criminal gangs in London committing large scale fraud offences.”

Brown was sentenced to 16 months’ imprisonment suspended for 12 and was also ordered to carry out unpaid community work but the hours are yet to be determined.