A man who was jailed in the UK for his role in a major money laundering scheme linked to a drug-dealing organised crime group was caught importing drugs into Jersey while on license – and was granted conditional bail so he could be best man at his brother’s wedding.
Veshal Madlani made headlines in 2022 when he sentenced at Amersham Crown Court to more than five years in prison, after he admitted his involvement in laundering around £10m for an OCG believed to be connected to the distribution of cocaine throughout the country.
A recently-published Royal Court judgement recounted how, earlier this year, Madlani was refused bail by Jersey’s Magistrate’s Court – after he pleaded guilty to importation for personal use of a small quantity of herbal cannabis, cannabis resin and a paste containing THC.
In the judgement, Deputy Bailiff Robert MacRae noted that Madlani’s previous convictions included “a substantial conviction for money laundering”.
“He remains on licence until, it appears, December of this year in relation to those matters, and we have seen the licence conditions issued by the Probation Service including a condition that he cannot leave the United Kingdom, Channel Islands or the Isle of Man,” the judgement continued.
He has sworn an affidavit to that effect supported by evidence that the wedding is taking place this weekend and that he is the best man
Royal Court Judgement
Deputy MacRae also noted that Madlani spent two weeks in custody from 24 May to 9 June 2025.
“At that stage it was thought that then he may have been importing these drugs for onward supply, which of course would have been much more serious.
“It is now accepted that he was not doing so, and in the circumstances, certainly from the way this matter has been presented in this Court, the strong likelihood is that the case will be dealt with by way of a financial penalty.”
Summarising Madlani’s appeal against the Magistrate’s Court’s bail decision, the judgement – dated 24 July – went on to explain that he had sought permission to leave the island “for the purpose of being best man at his brother’s wedding”.
“He has sworn an affidavit to that effect supported by evidence that the wedding is taking place this weekend and that he is the best man,” it continued.
“Obviously if that turned out to be untrue, then he would be committing an offence of perjury which is far more serious than the offences that he currently falls to be sentenced for.”
It added that the Magistrate’s decision appeared to have been made on the basis that “it would be inappropriate to grant bail as custody was likely in this case”.
But Deputy MacRae said the Royal Court took “a very different view”.
“Custody is unlikely in this case and in any event we regard it as appropriate, having regard to all the circumstances, to grant the Appellant bail”,” he explained, noting several conditions discussed during the hearing.
The conditions included that Madlani provide the Court with the UK address where he would be staying for three nights, and ensure the return of his driving licence the following Monday – by which time he would have to come back – as well as a requirement that he “provide through his family a surety of £5,000”.
“If he fails to attend on Monday then that sum will almost certainly be forfeit. But we anticipate that he will return on that day.
“So we set aside the decision of the Magistrate on the footing that it is, in our view, unreasonable in all the circumstances of the case and grant the Applicant bail for the reasons we have set out.”
Deputy MacRae added that the Court was “placing its trust” in Madlani to return.
“If you do not we are sure you understand not only will there be an application for your arrest, but your family will lose £5,000 and you will also have committed an offence of failing to surrender to custody in Jersey, which will again be more serious than the offences you currently face,” the judgement concluded.
“So you would be shooting yourself in the foot by not coming back.”