A BRADFORD drug dealer has been ordered to pay back more than £160,000 or face an extended jail term after claiming he had no assets.

Paul Capuvanno, 44, of Greenfield Lane, Bierley, claims he was unable to pay off a confiscation order for almost £1 million made against him in 2009.

This was three years after he was jailed for eight years for possession with intent to supply cocaine and conspiracy to pervert the course of justice.

Police recovered an Aston Martin DB9 sports car in 2010 and subsequently found out it belonged to Capuvanno.

But a further probe of his finances found he also owned land at the former Wapping Road First School in Bradford.

This land has now been restrained while the investigation into his assets continues.

Now, Capuvanno has been ordered to pay back £164,520 within six months or face another two years in prison. This ruling was made at Bradford Crown Court on December 11.

He faced a similar hearing in April 2009. Here, a judge at Bradford Crown Court ordered him to pay back the money within six months.

A confiscation hearing was told he could raise £190,797 from his available assets out of a total benefit figure of £967,831.

The judge told him to pay within six months or face 27 months in jail in default.

But he was unable to complete the sale of two houses he had put on the market to raise the required sum in time for this deadline.

Financial investigation manager David Charity, of West Yorkshire Police's Economic Crime Unit, said: "Capuvanno is an organised criminal, who has tried desperately to conceal his wealth through a myriad of companies, accounts and third parties.

"But this should act as a warning that we will continue to investigate then assets of criminals until every penny that can possibly be recovered, has been."

Mark Burns-Williamson, West Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner, said: "Cases like these highlight the considerable amount of money we can potentially recover from criminal enterprises and which could be used to the benefit of local people and police.

"I am campaigning for all the money seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act to be returned to our communities, as half currently goes back to Government and cases like these are a timely reminder of the amounts involved.

"I am taking part in the Home Office consultation on the Proceeds of Crime Act legislation supporting changes which would see greater powers for the police to detain property acquired through crime and reducing situations where such property is returned."

The Bradford Proceeds of Crime Act Team has recovered more than £930,000 so far this year.

Anyone with information about people suspected to be living beyond their means can call the team on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.