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A family helped run a major fraud operation which deprived Royal Mail of around £70 million, a court has heard.
Parmjeet Sandhu, 56, and his nephew Balginder Sandhu, 46, were allegedly part of a scheme to under-declare mail in Buckinghamshire and Berkshire.
Southwark Crown Court heard the pair pocketed millions of pounds.
They worked under Parmjeet’s brother, Narinder Sandhu, who is owner of Packpost International Ltd and ‘architect’ of the fraud.
Narinder has already pleaded guilty, prosecutors told a jury.
A third man, Lakhwinder Sekhon, 42, is also alleged to have taken part
The trio have been charged with conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation between 2008 and 2017.
Prosecutor Ellis Sareen said ‘thousands’ of items were under-declared by manipulating docket spreadsheets, beginning in 2005 and lasting until 2017 when Royal Mail investigators uncovered discrepancies.
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He said they ‘exploited and manipulated’ a self-declaration system used by large postage firms and in some cases paid half of what they should have for the mail posted.
Mr Sareen said: ‘In this case, we will be talking about literal tonnes of mail – thousands of thousands of items.’
Parmjeet operated from a warehouse in Slough, Berkshire, where his companies were based, while Balginder Sandhu was also ‘integral’ to the scheme, it is alleged.
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Sekhon is alleged to have helped Narinder Sandhu find properties in which he could invest profits from the fraud.
Parmjeet is director of sister companies Tiger International Logistics Ltd and Worldwide Transport Express Ltd.
Balginder is owner of Global Express Worldwide Ltd.
The three deny the charges and the trial continues.
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