Police swooped on two men after they met in a pub car park and seized thousands of pounds in cash from the £53 million Securitas robbery in Tonbridge, a court heard.

Company director Ian Bowrem had almost £1 million wrapped in Clingfilm in the boot of his Mercedes car, £380,000 of which was linked to the February 2006 raid.

Depot manager Colin Dixon, then living in Hadleigh Gardens, Herne Bay, his wife Lynn and young child were kidnapped and taken hostage, while 14 staff were held at gunpoint.

In 2008, gang members Stuart Royle, 48, Jetmir Bucpapa, 26, Lea Rusha, 35, Emir Hysenaj, 28, and Roger Coutts, 30, were convicted for their parts in the robbery.

Maidstone Crown Court heard on Monday that Bowrem, 46, and 34-year-old debt collector and cage fighter Jeremy Bailey met up in a pub car park on the A316 just outside Chertsey, Surrey, on June 23 2006.

Julian Evans, prosecuting, said police officers saw Bowrem’s Mercedes was parked next to Bailey’s BMW car. The boot of the Mercedes was open and the two men were talking.

They then drove off separately. Bailey stopped first to collect a young woman who had been on a nearby seat.

About 15 minutes later, officers stopped Bowrem on the M25 heading north towards the M4. The boot was searched and inside a plastic crate was £790,200. A sports holdall contained £199,980.

Bailey was stopped later on the M3 heading west. In the rear passenger footwell was £5,000 in cash, said Mr Evans.

Bowrem claimed the cash in his car was the deposit for the sale of a property he was selling in Spain. He had arranged it, he said, through his company in Dubai.

He added he had arranged to meet a man called Jay to transfer the money into his car. He told police he did not think the cash was criminal property.

Mr Evans said the £990,180 seized was part of the proceeds from the Securitas raid involving seven armed robbers. The £380,000 was made up of new £50 notes.

"It is the prosecution case that on that day the two defendants were engaged in money laundering," he said.

"The prosecution say the money inside the crate was criminal property. Just shy of a million pounds was found in the car."

Bailey, of Basingstoke, Hampshire, and Bowrem, of Higher Metcombe, Ottery St Mary, Devon, deny money laundering.

The trial continues.