CRIMINALS who made more than £1.5 million from drug dealing and fraud have been ordered to pay it back.

A year-long crackdown using powers under the Proceeds of Crime Act (Poca) has seen more than 40 people from Bolton have their illegally-gained assets recovered.

The campaign was launched last January in a bid to tackle drug dealers, conmen and thieves living the high-life from the trappings of crime.

Bolton courts have made orders totalling £1,555,581 against criminals, based on how much they had made through their illegal activities.

Only a third of the cash has so far been recouped. But criminals who are unable to pay immediately have been warned the debts will remain with them for life.

Tony Wood has been appointed to recover the profits made from crime in Bolton and is one of nine investigators working across Greater Manchester.

The former detective has worked with police forces nationwide on major fraud inquiries.

He said: "Anybody convicted of drug dealing or acquisitive crime in Bolton can expect their financial pasts to be examined very closely.

"Where we find evidence of wealth, the power is there to order immediate payment.

"The legislation is very draconian and even in cases where there are no funds to recover immediately, the individuals concerned can be made to pay at any time when we can identify items of value in their possession."

The cash recovered from criminals is put into a government pot. Some is redirected to fund crime-fighting initiatives, while some is given to victims of crimes associated with the seizures.

Assets used as evidence to highlight the illicit wealth of criminals so far include houses as far away as Pakistan and expensive sportscars.

Among those made the subject of orders include: l Drug dealer David Lomax, aged 19, of Union Road, Tonge Moor, who ran an £800-a-day dial-a-drug service and now owes police £354,292.

l Magistrate Michael Lee, aged 59, of Shorefield Mount, Bromley Cross, who must repay £120,000 after swindling his employer and using the cash to fund his obsession with a prostitute.

l School administrator Amanda Cauldwell, aged 31, of Ivanhoe Court, Moses Gate, who stole almost £10,000 from Lever Edge Primary School, has been ordered to repay it.

In two landmark cases, police last month secured orders against two car thieves who will be forced to repay the value of the vehicles - even though the cars they stole were recovered and returned to their rightful owners.

Most of the confiscation orders have been brought against drug dealers.

Operation Hercules - an undercover police operation to catch crack cocaine and heroin dealers - saw 17 drug dealers jailed for a total of 63 years. Many of them have since been ordered to repay the profits of their crimes - which amount to more than £500,000.

Aspiring lawyer Ahmad Bhana, aged 19, of Hopefield Street, Daubhill, has been ordered to repay £110,734, which he made after taking a year off from his studies.

Brothers Sarfraz and Saqib Hussain, aged 28 and 26, of Gilnow Road, Deane, will be made to hand over £15,528 and £68,784 respectively - a total of £84,312.

An order was granted to recover £136,700 from Munaf Suleman, aged 23, of Shepley Avenue, Deane, after a court heard that he had made the money dealing drugs in just three months.

A second pair of brothers, Irfan Iqbal, aged 23, and 20-year-old Shekab, both of Milford Road, Great Lever, face paying back £136,349 between them - £81,765 and £54,584 respectively.

Brothers Mohammed Allahuddin Miah and Abbas Miah were jailed for drug dealing and weapons offences after a raid at their home in December, 2005. They have been ordered to repay £27,664 - £13,240 and £14,424 respectively.

Mr Wood said: "We are slowly building a picture of where money from drug dealing goes. The dealers who were jailed as part of Operation Hercules were taking about £1million per month among them and only a fraction has been recovered. A lot of useful intelligence has been gathered so far."

How the Act works

  • The Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) came into force in 2002
  • It gave police a single piece of legislation and replaced complicated laws already in place
  • Since the POCA came into effect in 2003, some £360 million has been recovered
  • The figure more than doubled between 2003/04, when £54.5 million was seized, and 2006/07, when £125 million was recovered
  • Money generated through the POCA is split between police forces and crime enforcement agencies, the Government and victims of crime

Pictures

David Lomax, aged 19, of Tonge Moor, who must repay £354,292 he earned through drug dealing.

Michael Lee, aged 59, of Bromley Cross, who must pay back £120,000 which he stole from his employer.

Amanda Cauldwell, aged 31, of Moses Gate, who must repay nearly £10,000 she stole from a school.

Ahmad Bhana, aged 19, of Daubhill, was ordered to pay back £110,734 he made by drug dealing.

Sarfraz Hussain, aged 28, of Deane, must repay £15,528 which he collected through drug deals.

Saqib Hussain, aged 26, of Deane, has been ordered to pay back £68,784, his drug dealing profits.

Irfan Iqbal, aged 23, of Great Lever, must pay back £81,765 which he made through drug dealing.

Shekab Iqbal, aged 20, of Great Lever, must pay back £54,584, the proceeds of drug dealing.

Mohammed Miah, aged 26, of Deane, was told to repay £13,240 he earned from drug dealing.

Abbas Miah, aged 30, of Deane, was ordered to pay £14,424 he earned from drug dealing.