A criminal jailed for six years for his role in a multi-million-pound heroin supply chain, and a further 32 months for money laundering, has been ordered to repay more than £130,000 of his ill-gotten gains.
Faisal Amin, 27, of Salt Street, Manningham, Bradford, and his two sisters, who were jailed for fraud and money laundering, were ordered to pay almost £200,000 between them by a judge at a Proceeds of Crime hearing at Leeds Crown Court yesterday.
Amin was sentenced to six years’ imprisonment in July 2011 after he was one of nine men to plead guilty to conspiring to supply heroin.
The nine were jailed for a total of 50 years for the conspiracy which flooded the streets of the UK with drugs valued at more than £6 million at street level.
Amin was the link between drugs baron Mohammed Arif Hassan and his supplier, with a Bradford flat being used as a “bash house” to cut heroin for sale to other casual contract conspirators.
Money and drugs were regularly passed between two drugs gangs in Bradford and Sheffield.
He was given the further sentence of 32 months in April last year after pleading guilty to four charges of money laundering.
His sisters, Soumia and Saima Amin were both jailed for 16 months by Judge James Spencer QC, after they admitted fraud and money laundering.
Yesterday, Judge Spencer ordered Faisal Amin to pay £132,724, Saima Amin to pay £61,686 and Soumia Amin to pay £662. They will face a further jail term if they do not pay.
After the case, Temporary Detective Chief Inspector Tony Nicholson, of Bradford CID, said it was a significant confiscation for the Bradford POCA Team, which has now clawbacked £481,906 from criminals in this financial year.
“Faisal Amin generated money through the supply of drugs to support a lifestyle for both him and his family,” he said.
“His sisters, Soumia and Saima, knowingly supported him in this illegal venture, which saw large amounts of cash and houses acquired along the way.
“All three of them have now been ordered by the courts to pay back these ill-gotten gains or face further time in prison.
"This case should send out a strong message to anyone living off the proceeds of crime.”
West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Burns-Williamson praised the hard work of police in gathering evidence to allow the confiscation hearing to take place.
"This is a significant amount of money seized that hits criminals where it hurts and can now be invested back into the community that suffered as a result of the crimes committed by this family," he said.
"Some of this money will come back to us but I am campaigning for all the money seized across West Yorkshire to be put back into our communities and I would urge everyone to sign my petition at http://action.westyorkshire-pcc.gov.uk/page/s/giveusbackallthemoney to get the 50 per cent kept by the Government back.
"This extra money would make a huge difference to our communities and those affected by crime and support our officers and staff in their fight against crime, making sure our communities are safer and feel safer by going after those bringing misery to law-abiding citizens."
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