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Cannabis Campaigners' Guide News Database result:
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U.K:Named and shamed: Rogues' gallery of drugs crooks asset stripped by police Andrew Robinson Yorkshire Post Wednesday 14 May 2008 In the last 12 months, specialist financial investigators from the Force's Economic Crime Unit have gone through the finances of these 14 men and, in conjunction with criminal justice partner agencies, secured confiscation orders worth £1,155,000 using the 2002 Proceeds of Crime Act. One of them, Sajid Mohammed, 29, from Burley in Leeds, got eight years for drugs offences and was then forced to hand over almost £400,000 by the courts. Police are highlighting their two-pronged attack on the drugs trade in the run up to National Drugs Week, which begins on Monday. Detective Chief Superintendent Max Mclean, head of the Force's Crime Division, said: "Our message to those who think they can profit from crime in West Yorkshire and get away with it is clear. We will not only investigate your criminal activity and put you before the courts, we will also use the latest legislation to strip you of the ill-gotten gains you've generated from those crimes." The aim was to "put them out of business permanently by taking their profits off them", he said. "The beauty of the Proceeds of Crime Act is that it gives us the ability to strip negative role models of their ill-gotten gains and to demonstrate clearly that crime does not pay," he added. Once confiscation orders have been made, if criminals don't pay up they can get an additional jail term, plus the debt will still have to be paid. After paying up, they can still be forced to pay more if they appear to have further wealth that police believe has been the result of crime. Mr Mclean said: "Financial investigators are located at every one of West Yorkshire Police's Divisions to strip criminals of their ill-gotten gains. The focus for the Criminal Justice Team in West Yorkshire is very clear - remove the profits from crime and hit criminals where it hurts the most." Bryan Dent, Force Drugs Co-ordinator, said: "We want to demonstrate to the public that we are totally committed to attacking the wealth of those who profit from the trade in illegal drugs to make sure they do not have a financial base to carry on drug dealing in the future. "We are always keen to hear from the public about any person who appears to have wealth and possessions without any apparent legal means of funding this lifestyle, and who they suspect may be involved in the drugs trade. As the cases we have highlighted here demonstrate, we have the powers and we are prepared to use them." Anyone who has information about anyone involved in the trade in illegal drugs should contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. The 14 drug dealers, most of them now serving jail terms, are: Andrew George Jenkins, 49, from Pontefract; cannabis possession and money laundering - made to pay £14,000. Brian Henry Parker, 41, from Eccleshill, Bradford; drug trafficking, money laundering - made to pay £121,000. Ajmal Aziz, 26, from Halifax; drug trafficking and laundering offences - made to pay £65,000. Amjad Hussain, 25, from Halifax; drug trafficking and money laundering - made to pay £239,000. Sajid Aziz, 31, of Halifax; drug trafficking and money laundering - made to pay £123,000. Sajid Mohammed, 29, of Burley, Leeds; conspiracy to supply drugs - made to pay £392,000. Richard Pype, 31, of Mirfield; production of cannabis - made to pay £46,000. Michele Tarantino, 32, of Leeds; possessing cocaine with intent to supply - made to pay £24,000. Shahik Miah, 28, of Keighley; heroin and crack cocaine possession with intent to suppy and laundering - made to pay £33,000. Nassar Mukhtar Ahmed, 29, of Batley; heroin and crack possessionm with intent to supply - made to pay £22,000. Michael Bernard Gledhill, 38, of Laisterdyke, Bradford; cannabis with intent to supply - made to pay £17,000. Kim Ahn Diep, 27, of Lupset, Wakefield; production of cannabis - made to pay £7,000. Patrick Trevor Davis, 40, of Buttershaw, Bradford; amphetamine possession with intent to supply - made to pay £18,000. Nigel John Ward, 42, of Pudsey, Leeds; cocaine, ecstasy and amphetamine possession with intent to supply - made to pay £30,000.
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