Three individuals found guilty of fraud and the purchase of criminal property linked to poultry, resulting in a loss of nearly £320,000, have received prison sentences.

Rana Dhaia, 58, the owner of Townsend Poultry in Wolverhampton, colluded with Darren Williams, 68, and Elliot Smith, 33, both managers employed by the 2 Sisters Food Group in North Wales, to carry out the fraud.

During an audit at the 2 Sisters Food Group, it was discovered that Williams and Smith were providing chicken to Townsend Poultry, despite Townsend Poultry not being a registered customer, with no documented deliveries on record.

Investigations revealed that 84 deliveries, amounting to hundreds of thousands of pounds, were made to Townsend Poultry by local hauliers contracted by the group. Williams and Smith had deliberately erased records of these transactions.

Rana Dhaia received a prison sentence of four years and three months.

Darren Williams was sentenced to two years' imprisonment, suspended for two years, and ordered to complete 300 hours of unpaid work.

Elliot Smith was given a suspended two-year prison sentence, along with 250 hours of unpaid work.

Crown Advocate, Emmalyne Downing, put emphasis on that the defendants abused their positions within the companies to carry out the fraud. She highlighted the collaborative effort between the CPS, North Wales Police's Economic Crime Unit, and the Food Standards Agency in Wales in constructing a credible case.

Detective Constable David Hall of the North Wales Police expressed satisfaction with the convictions, underscoring the financial and traceability implications of the offences for the 2 Sisters Food Group, had they not been uncovered.