Hertfordshire Constabulary is hitting drug dealers and fraudsters district where it hurts, by targeting their wallets. Emma Clark reports

GLAMOROUS clothes, flash jewellery and fancy cars: the luxury lifestyle of the rich, the famous, and the criminal - until now.

Following the introduction of powerful new legislation in 2002, police officers across the country have had the power to strip offenders of their ill-gotten gains.

Nearly five years on, and officers are becoming more and more confident in the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA), determined to show that crime won't pay.

Detective Inspector Andy Theakston, of Hertfordshire Constabulary's Economic Crime Unit says the act has had a positive impact in St Albans.

He said "This legislation basically means villains have to pay back what they have stolen.

"We can make assumptions as to how much they've benefited financially through their criminal conduct, and that can go back many years.

"We can seize and hold cash of £1,000 and above, as well as freezing bank accounts and eventually confiscating things like houses and cars, if we believe it has been obtained illegally. We make a confiscation order at crown court and if it is granted, the criminal must pay the money back, over a lifetime if necessary.

"We're going to use it to make criminals pay. "

In April we revealed that St Albans residents were twice as likely to fall victim to identity fraud than nearly anyone else in the UK.

The report, compiled by financial information provider Experian, claimed that wealthy, professionals who rent or homeshare were making the area a prime target for criminals with one in two people at risk of credit card cloning or the opening of fraudulent accounts.

The economic crime unit, based in Hatfield, formed in 2002 to try and deal with problems like identity fraud and has a fraud squad, cheque and credit card squad, financial investigation unit and money laundering team, supported by smaller, area based, money laundering teams.

Last year the unit just met its target of 75 confiscation orders in Hertfordshire, forcing criminals to pay back more than £468,000 and seizing more than £750,000 in cash.The team currently has £15.5 million of assets restrained from criminals whose cases are waiting to be heard at court.

The money cannot be handed back to victims as compensation and is split up. The Government gets 50 per cent with the other half split equally between the Court Service, the Crown Prosecution Service and Hertfordshire Constabulary.

DI Theakston added: "It took a couple of years for this act to take off but I'm striving for it to become everyday business for officers, so that they're always thinking about the possibility of using the powers of POCA.

"The idea is that it removes negative role models from our society. Everyone knows the villain on their street with a nice car, flaunting their wealth - we want to hit them in the pocket where it really hurts by not just prosecuting them but by also confiscating their assets."

Some of the successful confiscation orders include the case of Orville Johnson who was convicted in March of supplying crack cocaine in St Albans. He has been ordered to pay £58,214.77 and given six weeks to do so. If he does not then two years is added to his custodial sentence, and he still has to pay back the debt.

Stephan Ryan of Alma Road, St Albans, was convicted in March last year for four counts of supplying Class A drugs including one of supplying a kilo of cocaine. His criminal benefit was calculated at £72,648. His assets at that time were £51 so a confiscation order was made in that amount. He will owe £72,597 for life until he pays.

Saleh Choudhury of Northfield Road, Harpenden, was convicted of possession of cannabis and money laundering. At the time of his arrest he was in possession of £15,330 which was forfeited. At the subsequent confiscation hearing his benefit was calculated at £68,656 and he was ordered to pay £2,028 in confiscation; this necessitated him selling his jewellery. He will owe £66,628 for life until he pays.

In April we reported the case of Kwasi Kufour, of Whitecroft, St Albans, who was jailed for ten and-a-half years for possessing up to £500,000-worth of cocaine with intent to supply. Arresting officers seized £30,000 cash from him at the time. He has now had his property restrained, and officers are waiting for his confiscation order to be heard at court. The £30,000 cash was forfeited on May 18.

One of the biggest orders waiting to be heard at court is of Thomas Connors, of Watford Road, St Albans, who was convicted in March this year for rogue trading offences. He was prosecuted by the Economic Crime Unit which has restrained about £4 million worth of assets.

A Welwyn man, Anthony Kinghorn, of Wheatley Close, was charged with conspiracy to supply drugs in March. He was found in possession of £36,000 cash when he was arrested. As well as cash forfeiture, he will be subjected to a confiscation order if he is convicted.

DI Theakston added: "You know who they are. They live in your street, they have a flash car and a nice house but they don't work or pay tax like you and I.