Fraudsters and drug dealers lose £17m of their ill-gotten gains ‘Crime doesn’t pay’ as West Midland offenders targeted

MORE than £17 million in ill-gotten gains has been seized from criminals by West Midlands Police.

The huge sum was stripped from drug dealers and fraudsters across the region over the past five years in a bid to prove “crime doesn’t pay”.

From April 2012, financial investigators working in the Economic Crime Unit have been recovering cash obtained from criminal activities under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA).

Just over £9 million was recovered from drug dealers and fraudsters following court convictions and the best part of £8 million was seized from suspects who failed to prove how they had acquired the cash.

West Midlands Police kept around £6.5 million of the total, with the Home Office, CPS and courts also receiving a share of the cash. The millions retained by the force is ploughed into the Police & Crime Commissioner’s Active Citizens fund and spent on crime prevention or community projects.

Detective Sergeant Adam Keen, from the force’s Economic Crime Unit, said: “POCA is a really important police power: not just because it allows us to put much needed money into police projects but because it sends out a strong message that crime doesn’t pay.

“Criminals may think they can ride out their time in jail and their ill-gotten gains will still be waiting for them upon their release.

“Wrong. Because securing a conviction is just the start for us and we will leave no stone unturned in our efforts to ensure they cannot benefit from crime.

“We will always investigate people who have made money from crime.

“It’s hugely satisfying to seize their money or assets – including property, cars or valuables – and spend that money for the common good in communities.”

The five-year total is from 605 POCA Confiscation Orders – imposed by judges following criminal convictions – and 191 Forfeiture Orders after West Midlands Police applied to the courts to seize cash found in suspicious circumstances.

Between April 2016 and March 2017, the force recovered £1,963,000 under POCA with another £733,000 still outstanding.

Any offenders refusing to pay up face extended spells behind bars.

But the debt is never cancelled – it hangs over the person until it is repaid and officers can recover cash and assets from them at any stage in the future.

West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner David Jamieson, who oversees the Active Citizens Fund, added: “It sends a strong message that we are taking money off criminals and funding worthy causes through my Active Citizens Fund with the money.

“Using criminals’ ill-gotten gains we will be spending their loot to make communities safer.”

It’s hugely satisfying to seize their money or assets – including property, cars or valuables Detective Sergeant Adam Keen