Postal fraud £70m plot admitted by Berkshire and Buckinghamshire firms

The firms falsely described the post they handled over a nine-year period

Three companies have admitted cheating the Royal Mail out of more than £70m by falsely declaring mail weights, class and destinations.

Tiger International Logistics, Worldwide Transport Express and Global Express Worldwide pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud in a trial held at Southwark Crown Court.

Company director Parmjeet Sandhu, 56, of Slough, Berkshire, admitted obtaining services dishonestly.

Sentencing was adjourned until October.

Royal Mail lost more than £70m from the fraud

Parmjeet Sandu's nephew, Balginder Sandhu, 46, of Slough, and Lakhwinder Sekhon, 42, of Isleworth, west London, were found not guilty of taking part in the conspiracy.

His brother, Narinder Sandhu, who previously admitted the conspiracy charge, was the "architect" of the fraud and enjoyed a luxury lifestyle, the court previously heard.

He lived at Hadley Grange, a "multimillion-pound mansion" near Beaconsfield, Buckinghamshire, and drove a Bentley and a Rolls-Royce, prosecutors said.

His firm Packpost International also previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy.

The mail was sent through logistics companies in Berkshire and Buckinghamshire from 2008 to 2017, prosecutors said.

The court was told thousands of items were falsely declared by manipulating docket spreadsheets.