Nov 2006
Carlton Cushnie - 27 Nov 2006
Carlton Cushnie, former chairman and chief executive of the Versailles Group convicted in 2004 of defrauding investors in Versailles Traders Ltd/Trading Partners Ltd, has paid over £10 million in confiscation in one of the highest ever criminal confiscation orders ever satisfied. Mr Cushnie , a British national, was sentenced on 8 June 2004 at Southwark Crown Court by Justice Jackson to six years imprisonment for conspiring to defraud private investors (`traders') who provided monies to Vers ......
Oct 2006
Roger OBrien - 26 Oct 2006
In 2005 The Middle Market Drugs Project (MMDP), a joint Metropolitan Police and Serious and Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) drug trafficking investigation unit carried out an operation codenamed ‘Operation Eyemouth’ which was looking at an organised criminal gang involved in drug trafficking in South West and West London. Roger O’Brien a plumber of Hampton, Middlesex was an integral part of this crime organisation. This investigation led to MMDP officers stopping O’Brien outside his home ......
Siraj Patel - 10 Oct 2006
The conviction of Siraj Patel a 46 year old, father of four from Leyton East London has led to one of the UK’s largest local authority confiscation orders being imposed through his booming business selling fake counterfeit goods to unsuspecting customers. Patel sold a large amount of reproductions of many top brand names such as Timberland and Burberry at a huge profit. The goods he would purchase cost a fraction of the price he would sell them on for in various retail outlets across Lon ......
Aug 2006
Alami International Ltd - 30 Aug 2006
On 29th August 2006, the London Boroughs of Brent & Harrow Trading Standards Service, assisted by the London Regional Assets Recovery Team (RART) financial investigators, secured a £400,000 Confiscation Order at Harrow Crown Court against Alami International Limited, an importer and wholesaler of handbags and luggage based in Dace Road, London E3 2NG. Alami International Ltd were also fined £24,000 and ordered to pay £23,500 costs by His Honour Judge Madge after being found guilty of eight o ......
Mohammed and Safia Inayat - 21 Aug 2006
In 2004, Redbridge Council Housing Benefit Fraud Department identified a family who had been making fraudulent housing benefit and council tax claims over a period of several years for three different properties in the Redbridge and Waltham Forest area in which they lived. Husband and wife, Mohammed and Safia Inayat, her sister Razia Inayat and Zeba Mirza, their sister in law submitted the claims. Those claims were fraudulent as Safia already owned a property outright that was rented to ......
Jul 2006
JohnBeach - 19 Jul 2006
Back in 2004, a £33million raid on Heathrow Airport was thwarted by Metropolitan Police Flying Squad officers. The orchestrater behind this was 37 year old John Beach, a delivery driver from Stanwell, West London. Surveillance officers had been lying in wait for the gang and acted quickly to arrest seven members as they attempted to load £18 million worth of diamonds along with £15million worth of gold and 311kg of bank notes into the back of a van. Beach, however, had also orchestrated a sim ......
Mr C - 05 Jul 2006
On 24th February 2005, as part of Operation Woonsocket, officers from London RART targeted foreign exchange bureaus within the London Area. It was strongly suspected that the proceeds of crime in the form of low value British Sterling was being converted into high denomination Euros to assist in the concealment for cross border transfer. ......
Dennis Usher - 03 Jul 2006
On 17th March 2005 a Commitment warrant, for non payment of a confiscation order, and a POCA warrant were executed on the home address of Dennis O’Keefe Usher in Brixton. Approximately 1 kg of herbal cannabis and £6,500 in cash were found during the search. The cash was seized under the cash forfeiture provisions of the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002. In May 2005 USHER was sentenced to 3 years for possession with intent to supply. Usher was given the opportunity to sign over the cash in part p ......
Jun 2006
DCPCU Case - 29 Jun 2006
This case was referred to the London RART from the Dedicated Cheque and Plastic Card Unit (DCPCU). It involved the 4 defendants obtaining card payment facilities from the HSBC at 3 fast food chicken outlets they ran in North West London and Watford. Between 27 February 2003 and 23 July 2003 they conspired together and with others unknown to defraud the central clearing banks, credit card issuers and other financial institutions by using these facilities for fraudulent transactions. ......
Op Magnet - 13 Jun 2006
Multi Agency Crackdown on Housing Benefit Fraud On 13th June 2006 London RART were involved with Lambeth Housing Benefit Fraud Team, Serious Organised Crime Agency, HM Revenue & Customs and Lambeth Trading Standards in Op Magnet. This operation concerns the alleged systematic housing benefit fraud estimated to be costing Lambeth Council hundreds of thousands of pounds. Search warrants were executed at twelve premises across the Lambeth borough and hundreds of exhibits were seized. Three ......
Mohamad Al-Baghdadi - 08 Jun 2006
Mohamad Al-Baghdadi has hidden Assets Confiscated On 8th June 2006 following almost 4 days of contested confiscation hearing at Middlesex Guildhall, Mohamad Al-Baghdadi had his criminal benefit determined as £75,470 and a Confiscation Order made in the same amount. He was given 28 days to pay and 21 months in default if he doesn’t pay. ......
May 2006
DVD and Cannabis Factory - 21 May 2006
At approx midday on 21.05.06 local officers from Walthamstow borough discovered a large counterfeit DVD and cannabis factory at premises in East Walthamstow, E17. The Met officers were on patrol in the area, which is known for stolen and abandoned vehicles when, on further investigation, they discovered a huge DVD factory approx 40 DVD towers, each with 9 trays burners, 8 DVD label printers and 2 industrial sized machines, which appear to have recently been delivered. Officers also discov ......
Besnik QEMA - 12 May 2006
On 12th February 2006, following information obtained by a News of the World undercover reporter, Besnik QEMA, was arrested in Mayfair, London by plain clothes Police Officers for supplying a controlled drug and conspiracy to supply forged passports. A search was carried out at QEMA’s home address in east London. At this address on top of the fridge in the kitchen was £1, 850. The original drugs were analysed by a government approved forensic laboratory and they tested positive for cocai ......
Apr 2006
Keenan Confiscation - 25 Apr 2006
Brian Keenan receives a second confiscation order for importing Kamagra. Having pleaded guilty to four offences in July 2004, Keenan pleads to three more. Whilst standing trial at Leeds Crown Court for the illegal importation and supply of Kamagra (similar properties as Viagra), it was discovered that he was still involved in the importation and sale of controlled drugs. A fresh prosecution was brought in respect of these further offences and KEENAN pleaded guilty. ......
Raymond Kinsella - 12 Apr 2006
Raymond KINSELLA has £150,000 confiscated after drugs conviction. Raymond KINSELLA, a 35 year old male from Bexleyheath, Kent has had £150,000 confiscated after his conviction for supplying cocaine. On 20th June 2005 KINSELLA and another male were arrested in Bromley by the Middle Market Drugs Team, a joint Metropolitan Police and SOCA unit. The pair had been followed travelling in convoy from KINSELLA's home address in Bexleyheath to a meeting in Bromley. When the vehicles were search a k ......
Roger O'Brien - 05 Apr 2006
Roger Phillip O’BRIEN a 34 year-old builder was the subject of a forfeiture order. O’BRIEN was stopped with another male in Hampton, Middlesex, by officers from the Middle Market Drugs Team, a joint Metropolitan Police and SOCA unit. They were searched and found to be in possession of £24k in cash. They were both arrested for money laundering and a subsequent search of their vehicles revealed a further £27,285 in sterling and 50k Euros together with 1kg cocaine. O’BRIEN was subseque ......
Mr and Mrs Gill - 05 Apr 2006
Jaswinder Kaur GILL a 42 year-old female and Darshan GILL her 41 year-oldhusband were the subjects of a confiscation order. On 3rd March 2005 Jaswinder and Darshan GILL were convicted of arranging fake marriages and perverting the course of justice. Jaswinder was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment and Darshan, her husband, was sentenced to 6 years imprisonment. The case, which was investigated by Operation Maxim, concerned the systematic selection of vulnerable females who held British p ......
Feb 2006
Pimvipa Starke - 20 Feb 2006
A 'cradle to grave' RART money laundering case ends with a confiscation order of £122,000. On 20th February 2006 at Snaresbrook Crown Court, HHJ Bing made a confiscation order under Proceeds Of Crime Act 2002 against Pimvipa Starke in the sum of £122,000. The benefit was certified to be £122,000. £122,000 represents the equity in Starke's house which is currently subject to a restraint order. Starke was allowed 6 months to pay with 2 years imprisonment in default. This concludes our fir ......
Jan 2006
OP Dieppe - 27 Jan 2006
Op Dieppe was a Customs & Excise cocaine seizure in October 2003 and was one of the first cases from HMCE that was taken on at RART. Finally, after 2 previous attempts, the Confiscation hearing took place on 27th January 2006, despite one Defendant refusing to leave his cell at Pentonville to go to Court, and 4 others being stuck in traffic somewhere between the Isle of Wight and Snaresbrook! ......
Hadadj and Bensayah - 20 Jan 2006
On 20th January 2006 at Inner London Crown Court, Noureddine HADADJ and Rezki BENSAYAH had their assets confiscated having previously pleaded guilty to four counts of conspiracy to make false instruments. These included Immigration cards, driving licences, identity cards and National insurance cards. Both defendants had been arrested by Operation Maxim, a joint Metropolitan police and Immigration Service team in July 2005 having been caught running a factory to produce and distribute the ......

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