A crook who supplied fake bank cards to criminals across Europe from his Holloway factory is behind bars after being rumbled by police.

Islington Gazette: The cards seized by policeThe cards seized by police (Image: Archant)

Gabriel Yew, 45, was one of three conmen to be sent down for their part in the crime network, while another two were spared jail.

Scotland Yard’s fraud team Falcon had been tipped off that the false cards were linked to Yew’s phone number and they arrested him outside the Mayton Street building in June.

They then searched the property and found thousands of blank cards and printing and embossing machines.

Officers also searched Yew’s car and his home in Hornsey Road where they found more blank cards and printing machines, as well as almost £5,000 in cash and two stun guns disguised as torches.

They also seized luxury handbags and watches, and through his phone records traced three more men who had contacted him to buy fake cards.

They are Christopher Tansey, 20, of Maida Vale; Kofi Gyateng, 26, of Tottenham and Lamarl Brown, 25, of Romford.

Another man, King Mensah, 26, had been arrested in May and police found fake cards and ID documents with his photo, but under different names, at his Enfield home.

Det Ch Insp Andy Gould, from Falcon, said: “Gabriel Yew supplied fake credit cards in bulk for criminals all over London.

“This shows our determination to tackle the organised criminal gangs in London committing large scale fraud offences.”

The five men pleaded guilty to various offences and were all sentenced at Blackfriars Crown Court.

Yew pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to supply articles for use in fraud, one count of making articles for use in fraud, one count of supplying articles for use in fraud, two counts of possession of articles for use in fraud and one count of possessing prohibited weapons - two stun guns - and was sentenced to five-and-a-half years in jail.

Mensah pleaded guilty to one count of possession of articles for use in fraud, six counts of possession of an identity document with improper intention and three counts of fraud and was jailed for 16 months.

Tansey pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of an identity document with improper intention and four counts of possession of articles for use in fraud and was locked up for 26 months.

Gyateng pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit fraud by false representation and was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment (suspended for 12 months) and ordered to carry out 150 hours’ unpaid community work.

Brown pleaded guilty to one count of possessing articles for use in fraud and was sentenced to 16 months’ imprisonment (suspended for 12 months) and ordered to carry out unpaid community work.