Specialist economic crime investigators hit new milestone as over £2 million of criminal proceeds forfeited since April 2022

Greater Manchester Police’s Economic Crime Unit (ECU) continue to crack down on illegal proceeds of crime.

Since April, the Asset Detention and Recovery Unit have successfully obtained forfeiture orders at court to the value of £2 million, entirely made up from seized criminal cash. It includes sums uncovered at warrants across Manchester in recent weeks – such as £37k found during a search of an address in Wythenshawe where a kilo of cannabis was also seized and had an estimated worth of £10k at street level, with digital scales and vacuum packs also found in the property. At another warrant executed in Oldham, officers seized drugs and just over £18k in cash.

The large amount of money that has been recovered will now be re-invested by GMP back into policing, as well as local community projects through the Asset Recovery Incentive Scheme (ARIS). Through ARIS, over £50k will be funnelled into the GetAwayNGetSafe (GANGS) project, just one of many community led programmes which will benefit from the recent forfeitures. The project delivers early intervention aimed at young people to challenge attitudes towards gang culture, knife carrying and social responsibility. ARIS funding was successfully granted in 2021 to pilot the initiative across 20 schools in Moss Side, Wythenshawe and Longsight and due to its successes, the funding is being used to roll this out across further areas. 

Detective Sergeant Sarah Langley, from our Asset Detention and Recovery Unit, said: “The ADRU team is dedicated to recovering criminal assets and dismantling networks that are involved in crime to ensure that the money is taken from criminals and re-invested into our communities. 

“The forfeiture of £2 million is a huge achievement for our team, but our work does not stop here, we will continue to crack down on criminals who think they can reap the benefits of their criminality by using all powers that are available to us under the Proceeds of Crime Act to seize any illicit assets.” 

Our Economic Crime Unit has been recognised for their exemplary work in disrupting the financial networks that allow serious and organised criminals to prosper. Earlier last year, the Asset Detention and Recovery Unit won Team of the Year at the Chief Constable's Awards in 2021 for their dedication and hard work, as the team have been behind some of the largest hauls of criminal finances in Greater Manchester in the last 18 months.

Temporary Detective Superintendent Joseph Harrop, of our Economic Crime Unit, said: “With our total cash forfeitures this financial year now reaching over £2 million, it shows another very positive result for one of our asset recovery teams. 

“Alongside our Asset Detention Recovery Unit, who deal with seized cash and listed assets, we have a Confiscation and Restraint Unit and a new Account Freezing Order Team so we are equipped to take ill-gotten gains in every guise. 

“It doesn’t matter the lengths criminal groups take to conceal them, whether it be through assets such as cash, bank accounts and high value items, we will investigate, forfeit and reinvest this money back into the communities of Greater Manchester.

 “Our focus remains heavily on disrupting serious and organised crime networks by seizing their ill-gotten finances which create foundations for further criminality. “As we continue to work diligently to fight serious and organised crime within our communities, I would like to thank the public for their ongoing support in sharing information and reporting any suspicious financial activity. This helps us successfully shatter established criminal networks and deprive them of their finances, so we are able to utilise the money for a better purpose.

 “It is appropriate that the money seized, whether it be cash, drugs, or other assets owned by serious criminal groups will be re-invested back to help disrupt such forms of violent and organised crime in Greater Manchester. “If you see, or suspect something is wrong, tell us, and we can do something about it."

 Anyone with concerns or information about suspicious financial activity, should report to police online, if able, at www.gmp.police.uk or via 101. Always call 999 in an emergency. 

Details can be passed anonymously to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

We are currently recruiting for police officers to join GMP to pursue an exciting and varied career. If you think this could be for you, visit: Careers | Greater Manchester Police (gmp.police.uk)