Anti-money laundering team welcomes 600K confiscation order

Kirklees police have set up a specialist Proceeds of Crime team to deal with financial crime and reclamation of criminal property under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 (POCA) in the Huddersfield area.

An anti-money laundering team within Lancashire Constabulary has welcomed a confiscation order for a sum over £600,000 against a Blackburn lorry driver under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

The man, Andrew Akeroyd, was convicted of money laundering offences last year, and lost an appeal against his nine-year sentence earlier in 2009. If he does not repay £607,086.51 within six months, his sentence will be extended by four years and the sum will begin to accrue interest.

John Dilworth, from the Crown Prosecution Services Complex Casework team, praised the strength of the evidence against the 55-year-old, which had included testimony from gambling industry experts that disproved Akeroyds claims that he had won his thousands playing poker. He also warned other criminals that the police and the CPS would make full use of the law on proceeds of crime to reclaim stolen money and other criminal property.

An anti-money laundering specialist from Lancashire Constabulary called Akeroyds poker defence futile and confirmed that he was likely to have to sell both his houses, his cars and several luxury gadgets to meet the confiscation order.

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