Five figure sum seized from Telford man
A Telford man has had more than £16,000 taken from him by the courts following a drug warrant that was carried out as part of a major operation at his address last year.
At Worcester Magistrates Court yesterday morning, District Judge Chinery ordered the forfeiture of the cash seized from David John Maloney, aged 34, of Dalford Court, Hollinswood during the investigation by West Mercia Police’s Economic Crime Unit (ECU).
Officers attended seven addresses in Telford and Shrewsbury on Wednesday 9 May 2012 and carried out a series of drug warrants. Maloney was arrested at one of the addresses and £16,725 was found in a cupboard off the living room area at the property.
Following his arrest – which came as part of Operation Active – Maloney was charged with conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and, having pleaded guilty, he was sentenced to six years in prison in March this year.
Maloney was one of 27 individuals – 25 men and two women – who were convicted as a result of Operation Active and sentenced to a total of more than 80 years in prison.
A thorough investigation by the ECU followed, resulting in yesterday’s hearing when the court, upon hearing the evidence, ordered that the respondent, who was not in court, forfeit the cash.
Under the Proceeds of Crime Act, the burden of proof to show the cash comes from a legitimate and legal source rests with the respondent, not with the police to show it has not.
Accredited Financial Investigator Pat Kelly, of West Mercia Police’s Economic Crime Unit, said no law-abiding person had anything to fear from the legislation.
“All legally obtained money has an audit trail that can prove where it has come from, whether it is receipts, bank transactions, inheritance paperwork or wage slips,” he said.
“Although the Act incorporates civil law rather than criminal, it allows us to recover cash that the balance of probabilities shows is likely to have been obtained through unlawful conduct and/or would be used by any person for the use of unlawful conduct.
“Those who do not break the law have nothing to fear from the Proceeds of Crime Act but police forces are increasingly using the legislation to hit offenders where it can often hurt the most – their pockets.”
Anyone who suspects persons in their neighbourhood could be involved in criminal activity such as drug offences, or who appears to be living beyond their means, can pass on their concerns to police on 101 or 0300 333 3000.
Information can also be passed on anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, if people do not wish to be identified.
