Case studies
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Best Practice in Asset Recovery
Winner: Operation McArthur: Merseyside
This initiative was conducted in partnership with HMC&E and NCIS. As a result of intelligence an organised criminal network was identified and the main subject Mr X became the focus of an investigation.
Mr X had gained obvious wealth through his criminality. He had extensive business interests in a number of countries and was using off shore bank accounts to deposit large sums of money.
Associates of Mr X were arrested in possession of five and 14 kilos of heroin respectively during the summer of 2003 and received long custodial sentences, Mr X was implicated in being involved in these operations.
As a result of further intelligence via NCIS and HMC&E Mr X and five associates were arrested in connection with an attempt to import over 20kilos of heroin and 18 kilos of cocaine along with substantial quantities of ecstasy and amphetamines.
Mr X was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment in July 2003 and at a further confiscation hearing the judge determined that Mr X had benefited to the sum of £1.5 from drug trafficking and ordered a further £1 million in assets to be confiscated.
In addition, during this operation drugs in excess of £5 million have been seized, whilst prison sentences totalling 103 years have been handed down to Mr X and his associates.
Commended: White Horse: West Yorkshire
This operation focussed on a known suspect Mr X involved in large scale class A drug supply.
The investigation discovered that the suspect was buying high performance vehicles and investing in property.
An intelligence and evidence gathering operation took place. Cash to the value of £ 32,757 was found hidden in a property owned by the suspect and substantial quantities of heroin and crack were discovered at other addresses linked to the subject.
Mr X was found guilty of drug trafficking and money laundering offences in April 2003 and sentenced to 10 years imprisonment. Subsequently he was found to have benefited from his criminality and a confiscation order of £400,201.64p was made against Mr X.
