A former glamour model accused of smuggling £5 million into Dubai in suitcases claims she thought it was legal and an operation run by the embassy, a court heard.

Jo-Emma Larvin, 44, allegedly hid the cash in suitcases on flights from Heathrow on two occasions in 2020, including one with her partner Jonathan Johnson, 55.

The trips are allegedly part of a £100m smuggling ring.

The pair, of Ripon, Yorkshire, deny removing criminal property from the UK along with their co-accused Amy Harrison, 27, of Worcester Park, Surrey, Beatrice Auty, 26, of Fulham, west London, and Liam Rabone, 29, of West Kensington, London.

Prosecutors say the group were aware what they were doing was illegal and the money was the proceeds of crime – which they deny.

Larvin is said to have taken around £2.2 million on her first trip to the Middle Eastern city with Harrison in August 2020 – before taking a further £2.8 million on a trip with Johnson in September.

The couple’s defence barrister told jurors at Isleworth Crown Court this morning that the couple, who were paid around £3,000 a trip, believed they were working for the Dubai embassy.

Mr Howard Godfrey KC also said they had been given documents that “tended to show that what was going on was entirely legitimate”.

He said the pair had not made the trips for the money as Johnson runs a successful safari business in South Africa.

The court previously heard the alleged smugglers would declare the cash in Dubai by handing over a letter that authorised them to carry it from a company called Omnivest.

Sometimes authorities in Dubai checked the amounts were “broadly accurate” and then gave a currency declaration form, the court heard.

He said: “It may be odd, I know it’s odd in this country when you go for a cup of coffee and you pay with a credit card.

“People aren’t used to seeing large amounts of cash. In Dubai it’s quite different – it’s completely different.

“Cash is king and the richer the people are the more of it they flaunt.

“So there’s nothing that surprising when they have been told that the trip they were doing was organised by the embassy.”

The court heard during her first trip, Larvin sent messages to her partner Jonathan Johnson, 55, saying she was “in at the deep end”.

Johnson is said to have told her: “You need to be super careful” and “I like your enterprise but the threat of clink…”

Prosecutor Julian Christopher KC told the jury: “The prosecution suggest that’s the threat of prison – he’s worried about the illegal nature of this.”

After Larvin told him she had got off the plane at Dubai and the cases had been collected, Johnson said: “Oh thank god I saw you online but no reply – thought the worst.”

Larvin replied: “What was the worst part was trying to get customs to not actually count £2.2million … oh and when the six cases didn’t come off baggage for ever.”

Johnson joined Larvin on the second trip in September, with the pair exchanging a number of Whatsapp messages about the number of suitcases they were asked to take.

The trial heard members of the smuggling gang flew business class to take more luggage – which would also be packed with air fresheners and normal holiday items like coat hangers and razors to disguise the cash.

Johnson is said to have told Larvin that their contacts were “taking the p***”, adding: “How the f*** do two people carry eight cases it’s f***ing ridiculous, talk about conspicuous.”

The couple were arrested in March last year.

The court heard Auty took three trips from Heathrow to Dubai, but the third was only an attempt as the cases were intercepted by the National Crime Agency.

She is also accused of “assisting” with 11 other trips, including packing cash in suitcases and accompanying smugglers to the airport.

Harrison and Rabone took three trips smuggling a total of £6 million, the court heard.

The defendants were involved in 16 trips – but a total of 83 trips successfully took place over 18 months by organiser and Omnivest director Abdulla Alfalasi, the court heard.

The trial continues.

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