A GANG of car ringers have been ordered to pay back the £90,000 they made from their criminal dealings.

The four men were part of a gang which bought stolen vehicles, broke them up then sold on the parts.

They were uncovered when police raided three units in Century Mill, George Street, Farnworth, in September, 2008.

They found seven stolen cars, some of which had been broken up, worth a total of £68,000.

Ian Shaw, Tariq Khan and Sheraz Ahmed were jailed after they pleaded guilty to conspiracy to handle stolen goods at earlier hearings.

David Sleigh also pleaded guilty to the same charge, on the basis that he had only worked on one of the cars.

Shaw, aged 24, formerly of Central Avenue, Farnworth — who is serving eight-and-a-half years in jail for theft and possessing a modified handgun and ammunition — was yesterday back in court where he was ordered to pay back £43,000, the amount investigators believe he profited from his criminal activities.

Khan, aged 26, formerly of The Grove, Bolton, and Ahmed, aged 31, of Campbell Street, Farnworth, were each told they must pay back £20,000 at Bolton Crown Court.

Khan is still serving a 16 month jail term. Ahmed was previously given a 14 month sentence which he has now served.

Sleigh, aged 47, of Moorside Avenue, Farnworth, was told he must pay back £6,120. He was previously sentenced to eight months in prison, which he has now served.

But the proceeds of crime hearing heard Khan and Sleigh had no available assets which the police could seize and each were instead forced to pay a nominal £1.

Police previously seized £500 from Ahmed and the court heard he had just £61 in a bank account which he was given 28 days to pay.

Shaw was told he must sell his Ford Transit van valued at £1,500. Officers have already seized more than £1,300 from him.

The remaining debt will live with them for the rest of their lives.

Financial investigator Carole Holland said: “These results show to the law-abiding people of Bolton that we are determined criminals should not be allowed to profit from their crimes, and will use all tactics at our disposal to remove criminal assets and ensure crime doesn’t pay.

“The bill will stay with them until it is paid off.

“Any assets they come into in the future will go into the pot until they have paid back the money they made from their criminal activity.”