Met Police Smash Criminal Cash Haul with Record £94 Million Seized!
The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has declared war on crime money – seizing a record-breaking £94 million from crooks in the last financial year. That’s a whopping 40% spike from £67 million back in 2016/17.
Confiscation Orders Skyrocket
The secret behind this massive haul? Confiscation orders rocketed by 164%, soaring from just under £21 million in 2016/17 to a staggering £55.5 million in 2017/18. These court orders hit criminals hard, stripping them of the cash they made from crime.
In one headline-grabbing case, the infamous Hatton Garden gold heist gang was slapped with one of the Met’s biggest-ever orders. The four thieves must cough up over £6 million – or face another seven years behind bars.
New Laws Give Police Fresh Firepower
The Met’s cash grab is only set to grow, thanks to the Criminal Finance Act 2017. It gives officers new tools like Account Freezing Orders (AFOs) to lock down suspicious bank accounts fast. Plus, banks can now report dodgy money with Defence Against Money Laundering (DAML) reports, doubling the chances to nab criminal wealth.
Unexplained Wealth Orders (UWOs) take it further, letting the CPS freeze properties worth over £100,000 if there’s reason to believe serious crime is involved. Detective Superintendent Nick Stevens championed the Met’s finance fight:
“We want to make sure that crime doesn’t pay and will use all legislation available to us to recover money and assets obtained by criminals.”
Big Busts, Bigger Returns
- February saw the seizure of £240,000 in cash from Alexander Guevara Mejia in Fulham. He was caught with cash stuffed in bags and later jailed for two-and-a-half years for money laundering.
- Allawi Abbas, jailed for dealing in endangered animal parts, was ordered to hand back £100,642 – or face another three years inside.
- A luxury yacht linked to a £2.4 million fraudster sold for £58,000, going towards clearing a £1.2 million confiscation order.
Since 2011, the Proceeds of Crime Act has helped the Met claw back tens of millions every year, pumping funds back into fighting crime. Their financial crackdown is hitting gangs, violent criminals, and organised crime bosses hard. The message is clear: crime doesn’t pay in London!
