A bank teller found guilty of laundering some $136,000 was sentenced in the Supreme Court on Friday in Bermuda?s first money laundering prosecution.

Shrika Ra Wanda Minors was given an 18 month suspended prison sentence for a total of 36 counts of money laundering involving money which was found to be the proceeds of drug trafficking.

According to a press release sent out by the Bermuda Police Service, Minors had committed the offence while employed as a teller at a local bank. The Financial Investigation Unit of the Police Service received reports of Minors suspicious behaviour and began an investigation.

Minors was also sentenced to 18 months probation to run concurrent with counselling and 180 hours of community service.

Justice Kawaley told the court that in normal circumstances this type of offence would have been treated with an immediate custodial sentence, however, due to mitigating circumstances this sentence was found to be appropriate.

The Police Service also issued a warning stating the vase highlights a current trend in money laundering in Bermuda whereby people have been asked to conduct banking transactions involving cash on behalf of another person earning a small commission for doing so. Members of the public are warned not to handle lots of cash for a friend.

?This successful conviction is the first for an offence of money laundering in Bermuda, and it is an important one in terms of getting the message across that laundering the proceeds of criminal activity will not be tolerated.?