At Plymouth Crown Court on 28 November 2008, the Plymouth Asset Recovery Unit secured a confiscation order in the sum of £37,085.00 against a local unemployed man.
The man had previously pleaded guilty to disguising criminal property namely cash from the proceeds of trading in illegally imported tobacco. He also pleaded guilty to two offences of possession of class C drugs with intent to supply.
A female associate had told the Court at a contested hearing that £30,000.00 of the money belonged to her and was given to the man to look after. Her evidence was discredited and the male did not give evidence in court.
The Judge found this remarkable and agreed the benefit figure of £182,614.75 and granted the Order.
Detective Sergeant Jim Hinchliffe in charge of the criminal investigation said: “This was an unemployed man making substantial amounts of money allowing him to indulge in gambling to the tune of £620,000.00. The Confiscation Order ensures that on his release from prison he could not enjoy the benefits of his criminality”. He added that ‘”The public can gain confidence that the police are working hard to remove criminal assets. This operation was conducted by the police and HMRC and is an excellent example of partnership law enforcement.”
Visit the BTC website for compliance help and support for firms in the regulated sector.