£73m seized from villains in a year
POLICE grabbed criminal assets worth £73million in a year, including a £100,000 sports car and a bag holding almost £1million in cash.
The Metropolitan Police say it is their best 12-month haul in the past 14 years.
Assets seized from London’s streets over 2015/16 included a Ferrari 612.
The biggest cash seizure was £943,000, found when police stopped a black cab in East London and discovered a large holdall in the passenger area.
Over the same period the largest confiscation order was for £6.3million, in May 2015, over supply of chip and pin machines to brothels in central London.
Funds confiscated by the Met are paid to the Home Office, with the force receiving a percentage back.
In 2015/16 almost £9million was returned to the force, which was used to fund its financial investigations.
Met Commissioner Sir Bernard Hogan-Howe, who is retiring, said: “The force is here to reduce crime and keep people safe.
“It is satisfying to see criminals paying for the damage they cause communities through the assets we have recovered.
“The message is loud and clear – crime does not pay and criminals who think it does will have to deal with the full force of the police.”
The Proceeds Of Crime Act 2002 gives police powers to identify and remove assets obtained from a criminal lifestyle.
In 2015/16, the force issued orders under the Act totalling £73.4million.
Since September 2011, the Met has seized or confiscated £317million.