Gun Swap Gone Wrong in Margate: Two Men Face Big Bill
Two blokes caught red-handed swapping a gun on a Margate street are now on the hook for over £60,000 in criminal cash after a police crackdown. Lee Walker, 37, and Alex Vassallo, 30, were spotted acting shady on Milton Avenue one summer evening back in June 2022.
Arrest and Seizure of Firearm and Cocaine
Police swooped, stopped and searched the pair to find a rucksack hiding an 8mm Bruni pistol and a stash of cocaine worth around £20,000 on the streets. Both men were promptly arrested and slapped with charges including possession of a firearm and cocaine with intent to supply.
Sentenced and Slapped with Confiscation Order
At Canterbury Crown Court, both pleaded guilty. Walker, formerly of Ramsgate, got five years and seven months behind bars. Vassallo, previously from Broadstairs, was handed five years and three months.
But that wasn’t the end. Kent Police went after their ill-gotten gains under the Proceeds of Crime Act. On 13 September 2024, a judge ordered Walker to cough up a whopping £56,000. Vassallo was earlier ordered to pay nearly £5,000. Both have three months to pay or face extended jail time.
Police Crackdown on Criminal Cash
Detective Inspector David Godfrey of Kent Police said, “We will take every step open to us to remove criminal cash from circulation and ensure that crime doesn’t pay. Our investigations showed that these two men had clearly profited from illegitimate means, and recovering this money will help keep Kent a safer place.”
