28 January 2011

The hammer prices for the goods entered into auction by ECU were are as follows:-

• BMW X5 = £23,800
• Jaguar X-Type = £4,200
• Ford transit LWB = £2,300
• Volvo Lorry on Dutch plates = £4,800

 

24 January 2011

A 42-year-old man who tried to import nearly 200 kilograms of cannabis into the county is to have a number of assets sold at a public auction this week.

The auction is set to be held by Clowes and Nash Auctioneers at 10am on Wednesday, 26 January, at Swardeston Village Hall.

It follows the appearance of Lance Lewis, of Common Road, Pentney, at Norwich Crown Court on Tuesday, 21 December 2010 for a confiscation hearing under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

At the hearing it was determined that Lewis’ criminal benefit totalled £1,008,919.14 and he was ordered to pay £100,668.83 within a three month period. He was left owing £908,250.31 to potentially pay over his lifetime.

The property, which was confiscated by police and which is set to be auctioned, will include a September 07 registered BMW X5, July 06 registered Jaguar X-Type and a March 05 registered Ford Transit van.

A Dutch registered flower lorry in which Lewis used to conceal the cannabis will also be auctioned.

Detective Sergeant Rob Foreman, said: “This investigation demonstrates the excellent work carried out by the Norfolk Constabulary Drugs and Serious Crime Squad and the Economic Crime Unit.

"It is always our intention to bring such criminal enterprises to justice and in doing so, deprive those convicted of their ill-gotten gains.

"The overt sale of confiscated goods shows to the public that those who choose to benefit from criminality face openly losing their personal valuables and other assets."

Lewis was sentenced to six years imprisonment at a previous hearing for conspiracy to supply Class B controlled drugs between 1 January 2009 and 30 October 2009.

Lewis and his co-defendant were arrested in October 2009 after officers found the pair unloading a Dutch registered flower lorry along Station Road, Swaffham. This was found to contain 199 kilograms of cannabis concealed among flowers purchased in Holland.

Co-defendant Benjamin Heward, 47, of Woodhill Rise was also charged with the same offence. He was found guilty and was sentenced to 9 years imprisonment on the 13 August.