A drug dealer found with cannabis, cash and a knuckle-duster in his car in Peterborough has been ordered to pay back more than £20,000 of his criminal gains.
Umar Zeshan (25), of Cromwell Road, Peterborough, was stopped in his Peugeot 207 in Woodston by a traffic officer on the afternoon of Friday, October 7 last year.
While speaking to him through the driver’s window, the officer smelt what he believed to be cannabis and following a search of the car he found various small bags containing cannabis or cannabis residue.
During the search, the officer also found £155 in cash as well as a knuckle-duster and Zeshan was arrested.
In March, he admitted possessing a class B drug with intent to supply, possessing an offensive weapon and supplying a class B drug and in April he was jailed for 16 months.
Confiscation proceedings were begun with an investigation revealing how Zeshan had a savings account which had a number of unexplained deposits, totalling more than £20,000 since January 2007, but he had not declared any legitimate income during that time.
He was also unable to provide a satisfactory explanation for where the cash had come from and Peterborough Crown Court made a confiscation order under the Proceeds of Crime Act on Tuesday, September 25.
His benefit from crime was stated as £22,000, which he was ordered to pay back in full as he held sufficient assets.
Zeshan will now have six months to do so or face a year in jail.
Clive Bridgeman, manager of the force’s economic crime unit, said: “Zeshan has already given written authority for more than £19,000 to be taken from his savings account.
“The value of the cannabis seized at the time of his arrest was only £60 but the subsequent investigations revealed what he had been making from his criminal activity over a period of time and have ensured he will not benefit from it.”