County Lines drug dealer ordered to pay back £30,000 of ill gotten gains after being found with gold coins and Rolex watch

A convicted county lines drug dealer found with £15,000 in cash, expensive watches and a set of gold coins has been ordered to repay his criminal earnings.

Mohammed Kashim Ali, 25, of Gaisford Street, London, was given a two-year suspended sentence in January 2022 following a police investigation into drug dealing in Huntingdon.

He had been arrested in March 2020 on suspicion of possession with intent to supply class A drugs and was found with 156 wraps of class A substances worth £1,500, and more than £700 in cash.

Officers later searched Ali’s home, finding a safe containing £14,590 in cash, Cartier, Breitling and Rolex watches, further high value jewellery and a gold coin collection.

Following the initial investigation, specialist financial investigators from the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) began enquiries to establish the money Ali had made through his criminal activity, finding he had earned £35,145.21.

At a Cambridge Crown Court hearing Ali was ordered to repay £30,858.83 - the total worth of the cash and the seized assets.

Financial Investigation Manager Jemima Cholmondeley-Smith, from ERSOU, said: “Our financial investigation team work tirelessly to pursue those who have made money illegally.

“Ali is a convicted drug dealer who made significant sums selling drugs across county borders, and it is important that the cash and assets made through his criminality was stripped from him.

“Our teams use specialist skills and expertise to ensure offenders are forced to repay their criminal gains, and we’ll continue to work diligently to ensure crime doesn’t pay.”

Detective Constable Marcus Johnson, from Cambridgeshire Constabulary, said: “We will always look to seize the ill-gotten gains of criminals, and this was a brilliant result.

“Ali sought to profit from his criminal activity, so I am delighted we have managed to recover the cash and items from the safe.”

If you see something suspicious, whether this is suspected drug dealing, an unusual increase in people visiting a property or potential money laundering, you can let police know by calling 101, or visit your local force’s website.