Nearly £14million has been seized from some of Greater Manchester’s most notorious criminals over the past 12 months.
The cash was recovered by officers from Greater Manchester Police’s Economic Crime Unit between March last year and this April.
In total £13.7million worth of criminal cash was seized, an increase of 26 per cent compared to the year before.
Detective Chief Inspector Joseph Harrop said: "A notable seizure arose from the arrest of Sean Doyle as part of Operation Lushan, a 16-month investigation that formed part of the UK-wide Venetic operation focusing on the take down of the encrypted communications service Encrochat.
"During his arrest, Doyle stashed cash in a bag for life and threw this out of his bathroom window onto the roof.
“This was quickly recovered by officers and amounted to over £365,000.
"Doyle was jailed for seven years in October 2021 after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin, possession of criminal property and money laundering and a total of £367,870 was forfeited from him.
Cash stuffed into a bag for life by Sean Doyle
"Additional cash seizures included £98,000 forfeited from a man who recently pleaded guilty to drugs and money laundering offences with the cash was found in a holdall during his arrest.
"And a further £76,415 was recovered from an abandoned vehicle during a police pursuit."
Altogether, £3.7million was seized thanks to confiscation orders after criminals were convicted, which was up on 81 per cent compared to last year.
Millions of pounds have been seized from criminals across Greater Manchester
A further £6.6million was taken from cash seizures and £155,000 from seized listed assets such as expensive watches and precious metals, while £3.2million was recovered by the police account freezing order team from accounts frozen due to their suspect use in crime.
Police say that the money will go to much better causes.
DCI Harrop said: "Half of the money forfeited goes automatically to the Greater Manchester Police ARIS fund used for charities and community initiatives.
"I would appeal from information from the public about anyone they suspect to be living a criminally-funded lifestyle and have hidden assets so we can deprive them of their cash and use it for a better purpose."
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