Prostitute had £14,000 on body

A transsexual prostitute was stopped at Belfast City Airport with £14,000 hidden around her body last week, Belfast Magistrates Court has heard.

Malaysian national Nor Azmi Bin Mohammad, 31, is understood to have been charging clients 350 euros an hour for her services while working in NI.

A forfeiture order for the seized cash was granted because she did not have legal immigration status.

A PSNI lawyer for the PSNI said the money was "tainted with unlawfulness".

A defence barrister said Mohammad, who did not attend the hearing, was interviewed after being stopped at the airport on Wednesday and admitted being a transsexual prostitute.

"Whilst there's nothing illegal in that in itself, further inquiries actually indicated that Mohammad was an illegal entrant to the country," he said.

'Secreted'

A detective constable in charge of the case said the cash was a mixture of sterling, euros and dollars.

Mohammad was detained as she went through the central search area and taken for questioning, the court was told.

The officer said police believed all the money was obtained through services provided by Mohammad, who was allegedly returning to the UK after working in Ireland.

Notebooks and journals also seized included a hand-written diary and "itinerary of future liaisons", according to the detective.

Because of his illegal status any monies which have been obtained therefore are illegal The judge

He added that Mohammad allegedly disclosed that her services cost around 350 euros an hour.

After being released by immigration services on Wednesday night Mohammad was said to have gone back to the airport.

The court heard that a police officer who met Mohammad and discussed the court proceedings was told she would not be returning to contest the forfeiture application.

Granting the order, the judge said because of Mohammad's "illegal status, any monies which have been obtained therefore are illegal."