Dec 2007

• 20/12/07 ARA RECOVERS £817K ALLEGED TO BE THE PROCEEDS OF MONEY LAUNDERING
  The Assets Recovery Agency has recovered property to a total value of £817,000 alleged to be the proceeds of crime. ......
• 19/12/07 ARA RECOVERS £550K FROM AGGRAVATED BURGLAR
  The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) has obtained a Recovery Order valued at a minimum of £550,000 from William Joseph Lovell and a number of his family members. ......
• 18/12/07 ARA DISRUPTS ASSETS OF CONVICTED DOWNPATRICK ARMED ROBBER
  The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) has successfully obtained a Property Freezing Order (PFO) in Belfast High Court on assets worth an estimated value of £353,000. ......
• 13/12/07 ARA IN £100K SETTLEMENT WITH HIGH WYCOMBE MAN
  The Assets Recovery Agency has reached a successful settlement in the High Court in London for £100,940 concerning the assets of Carlos Graham Layne from High Wycombe, Bucks. ......
• 10/12/07 KILKEEL FISHERMEN PAY THE PRICE FOR ILLEGAL 'BLACK' FISHING
  The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA), working in partnership with the Marine and Fisheries Agency (MFA), an executive agency of the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), has successfully concluded a criminal confiscation investigation resulting in the Crown Court in Liverpool today granting five Confiscation Orders in the total sum of £ 1,075,056 in respect of three individuals and two companies convicted of landing fish stocks in excess of their permitted quota. ......
• 04/12/07 ARA SECURES £304K FROM CONVICTED DRUG TRAFFICKER
  The Assets Recovery Agency, working in partnership with HM Revenue and Customs, has successfully concluded a criminal confiscation investigation resulting in Leeds Crown Court granting a Confiscation Order worth £304,000 against Peter Grubesic, aged 44, formerly of Melrose Drive, Burley in Wharfedale, IIkley, West Yorkshire, who was convicted of drug trafficking and sentenced to four years and six months’ imprisonment. ......

Nov 2007

• 28/11/07 FERMANAGH FARMER AND HIS WIFE PAY THE PRICE OF ILLEGAL WASTE
  The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) working in partnership with the Environment and Heritage Service (EHS) and Public Prosecution Service of Northern Ireland (PPS) has successfully concluded a criminal confiscation investigation resulting in the Crown Court at Londonderry today granting two Confiscation Orders in the total sum of £80,868 in respect of a Garrison farmer and his wife, who were both convicted on two counts of keeping and disposing of illegal waste. ......
• 28/11/07 ARA RECOVERS ASSETS OF EBAY FRAUDSTERS
  The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) has obtained a Civil Recovery Order for £60,000 against two students who sold counterfeit designer Tiffany jewellery and high-value designer handbags on Internet auction site, EBay. ......
• 16/11/07 ARA SECURES ORDER TO RECOVER ASSETS OF ACQUITTED ESSEX DRUG DEALER
  The Assets Recovery Agency has secured a Civil recovery Order in the High Court in London against Fabian Jackson of Moray Road, Hackney, to recover in the region of £628,000 worth of assets. ......
• 13/11/07 £41M CRIMINAL CONFISCATION ORDER SECURED
  A joint investigation between the Assets Recovery Agency, Thames Valley Police and the Serious Fraud Office has led to a confiscation order worth nearly £41m – the largest believed to be secured under criminal proceedings to date. ......
• 06/11/07 TYRONE FARMER PAYS THE PRICE OF ILLEGAL WASTE
  The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA), working in partnership with the Environment and Heritage Service (EHS), and Public Prosecution Service of Northern Ireland (PPS) has successfully concluded a criminal confiscation investigation resulting in the Crown Court in Belfast today granting a Confiscation Order in the sum of £252,252 in respect of a Clogher farmer convicted on two counts of keeping and disposing of illegal waste. ......
• 05/11/07 ASSETS RECOVERY AGENCY WINS £427,000 SETTLEMENT IN SPRING-CLEANED ASSETS CASE
  The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) has been granted a Recovery Order to recover an estimated £427,000 worth of assets held by a brother and sister from South London. The High Court order follows an agreed settlement between the Agency, Derek Lloyd Prince and Hortense Adassah Prince. ......
• 01/11/07 ARA DISRUPTS £1.5MILLION OF ASSETS IN CRIMINAL PROPERTY EMPIRE
  The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) has successfully obtained a Property Freezing Order (PFO) on assets worth an estimated £1.5million linked to Athos Thanos Pelekanos, of Lower Road, Chorleywood, Herts. ......

Oct 2007

• 31/10/07 ARA RECOVERS £143,000 FROM ASSETS OF MURDERED YORKSHIRE CRIMINAL
  The Assets Recovery Agency has reached a settlement of £143,000 over the estate of the late Mark McCall, who was murdered in Pudsey, West Yorkshire in November 2003. ......
• 12/10/07 ASSETS RECOVERY AGENCY COMMITTED TO ENSURING CRIME DOESN'T PAY
  The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) today welcomed the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) report and reaffirmed its continued commitment to helping in the fight against crime by taking the profits out of the control of criminals. ......
• 08/10/07 ARA FREEZES ASSETS IN EAST ANGLIAN DRUG DEALING AND PRODUCTION CASES
  The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) has frozen assets worth in excess of £354,000 in two separate cases, both involving the production and supply of drugs. ......

Sep 2007

• 26/09/07 ARA SECURES SETTLEMENT OF £350,000 FROM ALLEGED NORTH BELFAST CRIMINAL
  The Assets Recovery Agency has been granted a Recovery Order to recover assets worth £350,000 by the High Court in Belfast. The Order was granted against assets linked to Henry Charles Hayles of Glenwell Avenue, Glengormley and following an agreed settlement between the Agency and three of the other respondents in this case. ......
• 20/09/07 ARA FREEZES ESTIMATED £2.75 MILLION IN SUSPECTED DRUGS FRAUD CASE
  The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) has been granted an Interim Receiving Order (IRO) at Belfast High Court on assets estimated to be worth in excess of £2.75 million which it alleged to the Court were derived from the proceeds of trafficking controlled drugs, multiple fraud offences and tax evasion. ......
• 14/09/07 ARA FREEZES ASSETS OF BANGOR DRUG DEALER AND EXTORTIONIST
  The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) has stepped in to freeze the assets of Thomas Gary Matthews, Dixon Road, Bangor, Co Down following the discharging of a Restraint Order earlier today. ......
• 13/09/07 ARA FREEZES PENSION FUND OF CONVICTED MULTI MILLION POUND VAT FRAUDSTERS
  The Assets Recovery Agency has frozen in excess of £300,000 of assets held in a pension scheme following its successful application to the High Court in London. ......
• 11/09/07 ARA FREEZES SOME £1M WORTH OF ASSETS OF CONVICTED MURDERER
  The Assets Recovery Agency has obtained a Property Freezing Order over assets with an estimated minimal value of £948,000 held by Roger Allen Vincent, formerly of Penn in Buckinghamshire and his partner, Julie Ann Taylor, of Penn, Bucks. ......
• 11/09/07 ARA SECURES SETTLEMENT OF OVER £900,000 FROM NORTH BELFAST ICE CREAM MAN
  The Assets Recovery Agency has been granted an Order to recover assets worth a minimum of £900,000 by the High Court in Belfast. The Consent Order was granted following an agreed settlement between the Agency and Stephen Albert Baxter and Denise Baxter of Lyndhurst View Park, North Belfast. ......
• 06/09/07 ASSETS RECOVERY AGENCY FREEZES ASSETS IN CANNABIS FACTORY CASE
  The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) has obtained a Property Freezing Order (PFO) over assets worth an estimated minimal value of £233,280 linked to a man formerly charged with the production of cannabis and abstracting electricity. ......
• 04/09/07 ARA AND KILKEEL DEFENDANTS AGREE TO REPLACE RESTRAINT ORDERS WITH LEGAL UNDERTAKING
  At a hearing before Liverpool Crown Court on 31 August 2007, the Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) and defendants Charles Leslie McBride, Charles Hubert McBride, Leslie Clifford Girvan and two companies; McBride Fishing Company and Kilkeel Fish Selling Company, reached an agreement in relation to restraint orders obtained against the defendants on August 2, 2007. ......

Aug 2007

• 22/08/07 BRADFORD MAN CONVICTED OF WASTE DUMPING HAS ASSETS FROZEN BY ARA
  The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA), working in partnership with the Environment Agency, has successfully obtained restraint orders to freeze properties belonging to a Bradford man convicted of illegally dumping asbestos and excavation waste. ......
• 17/08/07 ARA FREEZES ASSETS IN KILKEEL 'BLACK' FISH CASE
  The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA), working in partnership with the Marine and Fisheries Agency (MFA), an executive agency of the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), has successfully obtained restraint orders effectively freezing property in Kilkeel, Northern Ireland, held by three men convicted of landing fish stocks in excess of their permitted quota. ......
• 16/08/07 AGENCY FREEZES £500,000 FROM MAN CONVICTED OF CANNABIS PRODUCTION AND BENEFIT FRAUD
  The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) has been granted a Property Freezing Order over assets worth an estimated gross value of £500,000 belonging to a man convicted for producing cannabis and benefit fraud. ......
• 07/08/07 ARA SECURES £1.8M LONDON PROPERTY
  On 17 July 2007 the Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) was granted an Order by the High Court in London vesting a property currently valued at £1.8 million in the Trustee nominated by the Agency. ......
• 06/08/07 ARA AND TRADING STANDARDS CONFISCATE £238,000 FROM COUPLE TRADING IN COUNTERFEIT DESIGNERWEAR
  A joint operation between the Assets Recovery Agency and Sandwell Trading Standards has secured two Confiscation Orders worth £238,473 against a married couple convicted of selling counterfeit designer clothes and shoes at a market stall in the West Midlands. ......
• 03/08/07 £2.1M WORTH OF ASSETS OF ACQUITTED DRUG TRAFFICKER FROZEN BY ARA
  The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) has been granted a Property Freezing Order (PFO) in the High Court in London on assets with an estimated minimal value of £2.1 million. ......

Jul 2007

• 06/07/07 ARA SECURES £200,000 SETTLEMENT IN ARMAGH CASE
  On 4 July the Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) was granted an Order for the value of £200,000 by the High Court in Belfast. The Order was granted following an agreed settlement between the Agency and Malachy James Molloy, Patricia Molloy of Brootally Road Armagh, MFS Fuels Supplies Ltd and MFS Ballybay. ......
• 04/07/07 HOUSING BENEFIT FRAUDSTER IN AYLESBURY ORDERED TO PAY £225,000
  An Aylesbury woman who received £13,000 in housing and council tax benefit despite owning her own property has been ordered by court to pay £225,000 following an investigation by the Assets Recovery Agency (ARA). ......

Jun 2007

• 28/06/07 ASSETS OF ARMAGH COUNTERFEITER FROZEN BY ARA
  The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) has been granted a Property Freezing Order (PFO) in the Belfast High Court on assets with an estimated net value of £216,000. ......
• 20/06/07 ARA RELEASES FROZEN ASSETS OF COUNTY DOWN COUPLE
  The Assets Recovery Agency has successfully sought approval from the High Court in Belfast to discharge assets in the possession of Samuel Robert and Joanne Marion Mckee, from a property freezing order. ......
• 08/06/07 ARA FREEZES ADDITIONAL £400,000 OF ASSETS IN COUNTY ARMAGH CASE
  ARA FREEZES ADDITIONAL £400,000 OF ASSETS IN CO. ARMAGH CASE The Assets Recovery Agency in Northern Ireland has been granted an extension to an Interim Receiving Order (IRO) with additional property valued in the region of £400,000. ......
• 07/06/07 ARA RECOVER £537,000 FROM LIMAVADY MAN WHO FUNDED LIFESTYLE FROM CRIMINAL WEALTH
  ARA RECOVER £537,000 FROM LIMAVADY MAN WHO FUNDED LIFESTYLE FROM CRIMINAL WEALTH The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) has obtained a Recovery Order valued at a minimum of £537,000 from a Limavady man who was labelled ‘dishonest’ and ‘cunning’ by the Judge in the High Court in Belfast. ......

May 2007

• 25/05/07 ARA SECURES SETTLEMENT OF OVER £107,000 FROM BLACKMAILER
  ARA SECURES A SETTLEMENT OF OVER £107,000 FROM BLACKMAILER The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) was granted a Civil Recovery Order on assets worth a minimum of £107,105 by the High Court in Belfast. The Order was granted following an agreed settlement between the Agency and David Winston Hill and Pauline Barton originally of Woodland Place, Newtownabbey, Northern Ireland. ......
• 24/05/07 ANNUAL REPORT 2006-07
  CRIMINAL WEALTH: £73.6M DISRUPTED AND £15.9M RECOVERED IN RECORD YEAR FOR ARA The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) disrupted criminal assets worth £73.6m and recovered £15.9m worth of criminal wealth last year, Interim Director, Alan McQuillan said today. ......
• 24/05/07 ARA FREEZES £14.5 MILLION CRIMINAL ASSESTS IN NORTHERN IRELAND
  ARA FREEZES £14.5 MILLION CRIMINAL ASSETS IN NORTHERN IRELAND The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) in Northern Ireland disrupted 22 criminal enterprises and froze over £14.5 million worth of criminal assets last year, Alan McQuillan, Interim Director said today. ......

Mar 2007

• 30/03/07 ARA FREEZES ALMOST £750,000 IN FUEL SMUGGLING CASE
  The Assets Recovery Agency has obtained a Property Freezing Order resulting in the freezing of assets worth an estimated £750,000 in Rathfriland and Lisburn ......
• 28/03/07 ARA CONFISCATES £40,000 FROM CONVICTED BENEFIT FRAUDSTER
  Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) Financial Investigators, working in partnership with Birmingham City Council Housing Benefit authority, have secured a Confiscation Order for £40,163.26 against Abdul Hye of Farnham Road, Birmingham ......
• 28/03/07 ARA CONFISCATES £191K FROM CONVICTED COUNTERFEITER
  Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) Financial Investigators, working in partnership with London Borough of Bromley Trading Standards, have secured a Confiscation Order worth £191,000 against David John Mather of St. Paul’s Wood Hill, Orpington, Kent ......
• 21/03/07 ARA SECURES £53K FROM SELLER OF INDECENT CHILD PHOTOS
  Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) Financial Investigators, working in partnership with Chester Police, have secured a Confiscation Order worth £53,056.57 against Andrew Alexander of Bache Drive, Chester who was convicted of making, possessing, and distributing indecent images of children ......
• 07/03/07 ASSETS RECOVERY AGENCY FREEZES £75,000 IN CASE LINKED TO ROBBERY
  The Assets Recovery Agency has been granted a Property Freezing Order over assets with an estimated net value of £74,985 held by Susan Jayne Crosby of 40 Wragby Road East, North Greetwell, Lincoln ......
• 06/03/07 ASSETS RECOVERY AGENCY FREEZES OVER £300,000 IN MORTGAGE FRAUD AND CONTRABAND CIGARETTE CASE
  The Assets Recovery Agency has been granted a Property Freezing Order over assets estimated to be worth in the region of £312,500 held by Mr Rimas Butkus, Ms Dangira Jankauskaite and Ms Neringa Jankuaskaite ......
• 05/03/07 ARA AUCTIONS ALLEGED DRUG DEALER’S PROPERTY
  The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) has successfully sold the former house of the late Paul Patrick Daly by public auction for the sum of £240,000 ......

Feb 2007

• 21/02/07 ARA STATEMENT ON NAO REPORT
  ARA's Statement on NAO Report ......
• 20/02/07 ARA SECURES £310,000 CONFISCATION ORDER AGAINST CONVICTED FRAUDSTER
  Assets Recovery Agency Financial Investigators have secured a Confiscation Order for £310,000 against convicted benefits fraudster Paul Doherty of Sillwood Street, Brighton ......
• 14/02/07 ARA SECURES OVER £1 MILLION IN MAJOR DRUG SMUGGLING CASE
  Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) Financial Investigators, working in partnership with Lancashire Constabulary, have secured Confiscation Orders worth £1,043,663 against Gerald ‘Gez’ Deaffern of Darwen, Lancashire, David Scattergood also of Darwen, and James Jennings of Affetside, Manchester ......
• 01/02/07 ARA FREEZES £180K OF ASSETS IN ROBBERY CASE
  The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) has secured a Property Freezing Order (PFO) on an estimated £180,000 worth of assets held by Séamus Patrick Cunningham and his partner of Dundrod, Co. Antrim. Mr Cunningham is currently serving a jail sentence at Magilligan Prison for robbery ......

Jan 2007

• 29/01/07 ARA CASE RESULTS IN £3.3 MILLION PAYMENT BY PROPERTY FRAUDSTER
  Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) Financial Investigators, working in partnership with South Wales Police and the Crown Prosecution Service, have secured the payment of £3.3 million from David Edward Dale from Bryncoch, Neath, a property developer who developed a portfolio of some 450 houses using fraudulent mortgages ......
• 18/01/07 ARA FREEZES £11.8 MILLION OF PROPERTY IN MANCHESTER
  The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) has frozen an additional £11.8 million worth of property in the Manchester area, following an application to the High Court as part of an ongoing investigation into large scale mortgage fraud and money laundering. ......
• 14/01/07 ARA SECURES JIM GRAY'S ASSETS
  The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) has successfully reached a settlement on the assets of the alleged former brigadier of the UDA in East Belfast, the late James (Jim) Smyth Gray. ......
• 04/01/07 ARA LOOKS TO START NEW YEAR BY BUILDING ON SUCCESS OF 2006
  The Assets Recovery Agency is set to disrupt more crime in 2007 by carrying forward the excellent results that sealed 2006 with a £2.5 million haul from 12 cases in a single month. ......