Police swoop took the fizz out of champagne scam

The 20 cases of Dom Perignon and seven cases of Louis Roederer could have been sold for up to £1,000 a time to unsuspecting tourists.

The bubbly had been ordered from a luxury resort in Portugal using a US credit card skimmed in London, the Old Bailey heard.

After being sent by courier service to a business address in Wood Green, north London, in July 2009, it was intercepted by Mehmet Elitemiz, who told the driver to put the cases into his people carrier.

Elitemiz, 55, of Woodford Green, east London, was arrested by undercover officers and later convicted of being involved in money laundering. Yesterday he was given a 12-month community order and ordered to do 80 hours’ unpaid work.