0:00:02 > 0:00:04When this cell door slams shut on a criminal,
0:00:04 > 0:00:06you might think they've got their just deserts.
0:00:06 > 0:00:08But the law doesn't stop there.
0:00:08 > 0:00:13Criminals are now having their most prized possessions hunted down,
0:00:13 > 0:00:16seized and sold at auction to the highest bidder.
0:00:16 > 0:00:18Welcome to Ill Gotten Gains.
0:00:40 > 0:00:41In this programme,
0:00:41 > 0:00:45West Midlands Police pay a fraudster an early morning visit,
0:00:45 > 0:00:47and get a first-hand look at what the millions
0:00:47 > 0:00:51he conned out of the state were actually spent on.
0:00:51 > 0:00:54There was lots of designer shoes, designer handbags,
0:00:54 > 0:00:58high-value vehicles such as Bentleys and Mercedes on the drive.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01This lady was robbed by a cruel conman,
0:01:01 > 0:01:03and her daughter was heartbroken.
0:01:03 > 0:01:06In many ways, it was as bad as a physical attack.
0:01:06 > 0:01:08But Trading Standards used the law
0:01:08 > 0:01:11to make the conman pay back what he stole.
0:01:11 > 0:01:14And a community mixed martial arts club
0:01:14 > 0:01:16that's in danger of losing its funding
0:01:16 > 0:01:19gets a windfall from cash seized from criminals.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22It just meant they could really give the place a revamp,
0:01:22 > 0:01:25we could provide, particularly some of the higher-level lads,
0:01:25 > 0:01:28with the facilities they needed to push onto the next level.
0:01:36 > 0:01:38Across Britain every day,
0:01:38 > 0:01:41teams of specialist police officers are using a powerful law called
0:01:41 > 0:01:45the Proceeds of Crime Act to take cash and property
0:01:45 > 0:01:48from people who make money in illegal ways.
0:01:48 > 0:01:51They might be fraudsters, drug dealers or benefits cheats,
0:01:51 > 0:01:54but any cash they made through breaking the law
0:01:54 > 0:01:55will be taken away by police.
0:01:57 > 0:02:03They've seized over £150 million from crooks in a year.
0:02:03 > 0:02:05And it's not just cash that gets seized.
0:02:05 > 0:02:08This building may not look like Sotheby's,
0:02:08 > 0:02:11but millions of pounds' worth of goods owned by crooks
0:02:11 > 0:02:13get sold off here every year.
0:02:14 > 0:02:18This is a location miles away from London where they hold
0:02:18 > 0:02:22barely advertised auctions called proceeds of crime sales.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24They're open to the public,
0:02:24 > 0:02:26and any ill-gotten gains seized by the police
0:02:26 > 0:02:28will get sold to the highest bidder.
0:02:32 > 0:02:36Up and down the country, there are secret locations like this one,
0:02:36 > 0:02:40where the police store assets seized from criminals using the powerful
0:02:40 > 0:02:45Proceeds of Crime law, designed to hit crooks where it hurts the most -
0:02:45 > 0:02:46in their pockets.
0:02:46 > 0:02:49And the police can take everything a criminal has bought
0:02:49 > 0:02:52with money made from crime.
0:02:52 > 0:02:56If you think of anything that you could buy, or would want to buy,
0:02:56 > 0:02:59whether it be symbolic, status, something you require...
0:02:59 > 0:03:02So it can go from property, a lot of money's invested in property,
0:03:02 > 0:03:05there's cars, there is all the associated bling,
0:03:05 > 0:03:08jewellery, watches, there's...
0:03:08 > 0:03:10People have bought boats, artwork,
0:03:10 > 0:03:14there was cases in the past of racehorses, greyhounds,
0:03:14 > 0:03:16anything of monetary value or a status symbol.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23Once police have proven a case against a criminal,
0:03:23 > 0:03:27they can start to target and seize the crook's possessions
0:03:27 > 0:03:30and some crooks have assets the rest of us can only dream of.
0:03:33 > 0:03:36Rolex, Cartier, Breitling -
0:03:36 > 0:03:38some of the most desirable brands in Britain.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41And brands like this are massively popular
0:03:41 > 0:03:44with underworld figures across the country.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47Like this man, drug dealer Mohammed Aslam.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50He ran a massive Class A drug-dealing operation
0:03:50 > 0:03:51in the Bradford area.
0:03:51 > 0:03:55Police believe he made millions of pounds from his drug operations,
0:03:55 > 0:03:57and spent it wisely,
0:03:57 > 0:04:02even buying this nice Rolex for £25,000.
0:04:02 > 0:04:06But later on, his prized watch will be going under the hammer.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09Police investigating drug dealing in the Bradford area
0:04:09 > 0:04:12also came across this man, Mahboob Alam.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15He also made a fortune dealing drugs on the streets of Bradford.
0:04:15 > 0:04:19Both men were being investigated by West Yorkshire Police.
0:04:19 > 0:04:24They sold an array of what we call Class A drugs,
0:04:24 > 0:04:25namely heroin and cocaine.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27We're talking, on both operations,
0:04:27 > 0:04:29over 40 kilos of drugs were recovered.
0:04:30 > 0:04:34Street value all told was around six million pounds' worth,
0:04:34 > 0:04:37that this group of individuals, those two,
0:04:37 > 0:04:39played significant parts in.
0:04:39 > 0:04:42And the West Yorkshire team were very keen to put a halt
0:04:42 > 0:04:45to the two dealers' thriving illegal businesses.
0:04:45 > 0:04:48During our work and the investigation that we did,
0:04:48 > 0:04:50we were aware that a large amount of money
0:04:50 > 0:04:52was spent on holidays and cars
0:04:52 > 0:04:55so we were alive to those...
0:04:55 > 0:04:58benefits that they were making from their crime.
0:04:58 > 0:05:02The police successfully charged both men with drug-dealing offences,
0:05:02 > 0:05:06and they were sentenced to 17 years and seven years respectively.
0:05:06 > 0:05:09But police weren't finished with them there.
0:05:09 > 0:05:13Proceeds of Crime laws are now used to strip crooks of profits.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17After investigation by Yorkshire Police's
0:05:17 > 0:05:20Asset Confiscation Enforcement team, known as the Ace,
0:05:20 > 0:05:23the men were ordered to pay back £1 million
0:05:23 > 0:05:25they had made as proceeds of crime.
0:05:25 > 0:05:30It was the Ace's job to pinpoint exactly what assets the men had
0:05:30 > 0:05:33so they could be sold off, and they were in for a surprise.
0:05:33 > 0:05:35In respect of Mahboob Alam...
0:05:37 > 0:05:41..the overall confiscation order included
0:05:41 > 0:05:44a small street in Bradford comprising of four houses.
0:05:45 > 0:05:46You heard right.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49The cunning dealer had bought a whole street in Bradford,
0:05:49 > 0:05:52as an investment that he hoped would grow in value.
0:05:52 > 0:05:55But the Ace team put his street up for sale.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57It was sold off for an undisclosed sum,
0:05:57 > 0:06:00and is now no longer owned by Mahboob Alam.
0:06:02 > 0:06:04And that's money going back to the public purse.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09And fellow drug dealer Mohammed Aslam got the same treatment.
0:06:09 > 0:06:13The Proceeds of Crime investigation took this watch clean off his wrist.
0:06:15 > 0:06:18Successful drug dealers can come into a lot of money,
0:06:18 > 0:06:22and things like watches are very, very portable assets.
0:06:22 > 0:06:23They're very easily transferable -
0:06:23 > 0:06:26if you do run out of money, there's always a market for them.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28In some cases they go up in value,
0:06:28 > 0:06:31they can be a good asset in terms of appreciation.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34But again, in terms of...promoting an image,
0:06:34 > 0:06:37a watch is one of those symbolistic things of,
0:06:37 > 0:06:39"Look at me," you know, "Look how much I'm worth," sort of thing,
0:06:39 > 0:06:42or, "Look at my status," or whatever,
0:06:42 > 0:06:44which is often the motivation behind drug dealers
0:06:44 > 0:06:47or people of that criminal ilk and organised crime and all this
0:06:47 > 0:06:49is around image and status.
0:06:49 > 0:06:51Group asset recovery manager Aidan Larkin
0:06:51 > 0:06:54is well aware of how popular these watches are.
0:06:54 > 0:06:56Lot 83 is a Rolex Oyster.
0:06:56 > 0:06:57It's brand-new,
0:06:57 > 0:07:00it still has the original cellophane and plastic around the watch,
0:07:00 > 0:07:02box, papers, it's in perfect condition,
0:07:02 > 0:07:05a watch like this, particularly in 18-carat rose gold,
0:07:05 > 0:07:07rose gold is very desirable,
0:07:07 > 0:07:09and it's the current fashion of a lot of watchmakers,
0:07:09 > 0:07:13so this watch will easily go past £10,000 at the auction,
0:07:13 > 0:07:15and probably as high as £15,000.
0:07:15 > 0:07:17In the auction hall, prospective buyers
0:07:17 > 0:07:20are already taking an interest in the extravagant watch.
0:07:20 > 0:07:22I think there will be some strong bidding,
0:07:22 > 0:07:24particularly with items like these,
0:07:24 > 0:07:25we've a large online following,
0:07:25 > 0:07:28so, physically, you don't have to come to an auction,
0:07:28 > 0:07:29most people will bid, now,
0:07:29 > 0:07:31just in the comfort of their own home on an app.
0:07:31 > 0:07:34So we'll find watches like this, particularly with box and papers,
0:07:34 > 0:07:36will be attractive to the trade and private bidders alike.
0:07:36 > 0:07:39A lot of people just like the fun of the fair
0:07:39 > 0:07:42and the razzmatazz of the auction to see everything that's happening.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46And the police teams that smashed the £6 million drug operation
0:07:46 > 0:07:49are delighted to see that this watch is going to be sold.
0:07:49 > 0:07:53When we look at the financial constraints that we place upon them,
0:07:53 > 0:07:56that looks at things like realising the assets they have,
0:07:56 > 0:07:59like the Rolex watch, selling it through the auction,
0:07:59 > 0:08:01so that we realise that into monies
0:08:01 > 0:08:04that can be fed back into helping the community.
0:08:04 > 0:08:08So therefore, the financial penalties are actually paid
0:08:08 > 0:08:11by selling the assets that they've acquired,
0:08:11 > 0:08:15and ensuring things like the property they've had are sold,
0:08:15 > 0:08:17so that the money is realised.
0:08:17 > 0:08:18That is one of the main...
0:08:20 > 0:08:24..factors of the Proceeds of Crime Act for us to utilise.
0:08:24 > 0:08:26And it's a visible thing.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29People can see it's actually taking place and they want it to happen
0:08:29 > 0:08:33because they don't want to see people getting rich
0:08:33 > 0:08:36out of somebody else's misery taking drugs...
0:08:36 > 0:08:39and the drugs that we see on our streets.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42- Once.- Later on, we'll see how much the very desirable Rolex...
0:08:42 > 0:08:43Twice.
0:08:43 > 0:08:45..actually fetches at auction.
0:08:52 > 0:08:56It's not just drug dealers who pay big money for expensive jewellery.
0:08:56 > 0:08:59One of the country's biggest ever fraudsters liked to spend his cash
0:08:59 > 0:09:03on all the finest things, but didn't spare a penny for the taxman.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10Every year, police officers like Derek Tinsley in the West Midlands
0:09:10 > 0:09:14recover millions of pounds from criminals that the police arrest.
0:09:14 > 0:09:18Derek is a financial investigator who has handled many complex cases,
0:09:18 > 0:09:22but some of them stand out, even to experienced eyes like his.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25And the case of Tommy Scragg is one of those.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28This is footage taken by police
0:09:28 > 0:09:30as they raided Tommy Scragg's home in Solihull.
0:09:30 > 0:09:33Throughout his very expensive property,
0:09:33 > 0:09:36they discovered overwhelming evidence that Scragg
0:09:36 > 0:09:40had a lot of money to spend on things the rest of us can't afford.
0:09:40 > 0:09:44He even paid his bodyguards enough money to buy a Lamborghini,
0:09:44 > 0:09:46but they wrote it off in an accident.
0:09:49 > 0:09:52But why did West Midlands Police decide to raid his home?
0:09:52 > 0:09:54Well, Tommy Scragg was
0:09:54 > 0:09:57one of the UK's most brash and public criminals.
0:09:57 > 0:09:58He'd been living the high life,
0:09:58 > 0:10:02flaunting extravagant wealth in the streets, and showing off
0:10:02 > 0:10:04a seemingly endless supply of designer goods.
0:10:09 > 0:10:12That made investigators at West Midlands Police's
0:10:12 > 0:10:14Regional Asset Recovery team
0:10:14 > 0:10:17suspicious that the money was coming from crime.
0:10:17 > 0:10:19Derek started a covert investigation.
0:10:21 > 0:10:24Generally, financial investigations are quite covert.
0:10:24 > 0:10:28What we tend to do is more or less out of the public view,
0:10:28 > 0:10:31and also anybody else's view that we're actually looking at.
0:10:33 > 0:10:36Derek was able to access Tommy Scragg's financial records,
0:10:36 > 0:10:38and in particular, his income.
0:10:38 > 0:10:41And the devil was in the detail.
0:10:41 > 0:10:44From this document here, what I can actually see is that his earnings
0:10:44 > 0:10:48during this period is approximately £40,000,
0:10:48 > 0:10:51but what he was doing was taking in dividends from the business
0:10:51 > 0:10:53for up to £133,000.
0:10:53 > 0:10:57Next, Derek looked closely at how much Scragg was spending.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00So turning the page here, I can see he's got his home address.
0:11:00 > 0:11:04And in reality, that's nearly £900,000 worth to buy.
0:11:06 > 0:11:09He's got a vehicle, a Bentley,
0:11:09 > 0:11:11approximately £150,000 to buy.
0:11:13 > 0:11:15He has got various amounts of...
0:11:15 > 0:11:17memorabilia, sporting memorabilia,
0:11:17 > 0:11:21such as Wayne Rooney's FA football boots,
0:11:21 > 0:11:24signed England shirts...
0:11:24 > 0:11:27Diego Maradona's World Cup shirt.
0:11:27 > 0:11:31Several bank accounts, for which there's over £60,000 at this time
0:11:31 > 0:11:33that he's got a balance on.
0:11:34 > 0:11:36I'm going through...
0:11:37 > 0:11:41..buy-to-let properties that he had, 16 of them.
0:11:41 > 0:11:47To purchase, anywhere between £200,000 to £300,000, really.
0:11:47 > 0:11:51So all of those added together far outweighs, effectively,
0:11:51 > 0:11:54what his legitimate and declared income is.
0:11:54 > 0:11:57So there's clearly a big disparity, and the question, really,
0:11:57 > 0:12:01for us, as financial investigators, is to try and come up with an idea
0:12:01 > 0:12:05as to how he's funding, you know, this opulent lifestyle.
0:12:07 > 0:12:10Derek and his team discovered that Thomas Scragg and his friends
0:12:10 > 0:12:14liked to live the sort of life some of us could only dream of.
0:12:14 > 0:12:19Photos such as these at celebrity charity events were later presented
0:12:19 > 0:12:23as evidence by the police to show Tommy Scragg's lifestyle.
0:12:23 > 0:12:26And Tommy enjoyed the company of celebrity friends.
0:12:26 > 0:12:30So this epitomises what Tommy Scragg was all about.
0:12:30 > 0:12:34Here you can see one of his friends, money is no object,
0:12:34 > 0:12:37drinking the champagne, having the lifestyle
0:12:37 > 0:12:39and looking at all the cash strewn all over the bed.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42Probably somewhere in the region between £80,000 and £100,000 here.
0:12:44 > 0:12:46As a financial investigator,
0:12:46 > 0:12:48Derek's suspicions were aroused.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51He looked closer at the company Thomas Scragg ran, Moya,
0:12:51 > 0:12:55a payroll firm who handled accounts for construction companies
0:12:55 > 0:13:00and Derek found where Scragg's endless supply of money was coming from.
0:13:00 > 0:13:04Looking at their bank accounts, it was quite apparent that there was
0:13:04 > 0:13:06millions of pounds that's going through the bank account,
0:13:06 > 0:13:08which actually was quite alarming.
0:13:09 > 0:13:11And that required further investigation,
0:13:11 > 0:13:14which eventually identified that it was a fraud
0:13:14 > 0:13:18that was being perpetrated against HMRC
0:13:18 > 0:13:20in the theft of VAT and PAYE.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26Derek had discovered Tommy Scragg's company never paid any VAT,
0:13:26 > 0:13:28and that they weren't passing on
0:13:28 > 0:13:31employees' PAYE contributions to the government.
0:13:31 > 0:13:34Instead, that money was being pocketed by Scragg.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36It added up to millions of pounds,
0:13:36 > 0:13:40so it was no wonder Tommy Scragg seemed to be living the high life.
0:13:40 > 0:13:42Derek had seen enough,
0:13:42 > 0:13:45and nine months after the investigation started,
0:13:45 > 0:13:47West Midlands Police raided Tommy's home.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49What they found stunned them.
0:13:49 > 0:13:53When we went in, we found lots of sporting memorabilia,
0:13:53 > 0:13:56there was cash and high-value jewellery such as Rolexes,
0:13:56 > 0:13:59you know, strewn across the property.
0:13:59 > 0:14:01And I think it was a bit of a surprise,
0:14:01 > 0:14:04the extent of the value of jewellery and memorabilia
0:14:04 > 0:14:06that was at the house, it was quite surprising.
0:14:06 > 0:14:08So as we went through the house,
0:14:08 > 0:14:11and we were searching the house for evidence of the offence,
0:14:11 > 0:14:14it was quite apparent that there was designer clothing,
0:14:14 > 0:14:17there was lots of designer shoes, designer handbags,
0:14:17 > 0:14:21high-value vehicles such as Bentleys and Mercedes on the drive.
0:14:21 > 0:14:25There was cash strewn in all sorts of places,
0:14:25 > 0:14:28even the bedside table, you know, in the bedroom,
0:14:28 > 0:14:30expensive jewellery such as Rolexes.
0:14:32 > 0:14:36The sort of lifestyle that Thomas Scragg and his family were living
0:14:36 > 0:14:38can only be described as the champagne,
0:14:38 > 0:14:41high-value end of life, really.
0:14:41 > 0:14:45Following on from the raid at his house, Tommy Scragg was arrested.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49Prior to his trial, police wanted to question him about money.
0:14:49 > 0:14:51Officers asked Mr Scragg, effectively,
0:14:51 > 0:14:54"We're going to now move on to questions in relation to you
0:14:54 > 0:14:55"and your personal finances now.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57"Do you own that property?"
0:14:57 > 0:14:59He replied, "No comment."
0:14:59 > 0:15:01"Do you have a mortgage on that property?"
0:15:01 > 0:15:03"No comment."
0:15:03 > 0:15:05"Is it solely in your name?" "No comment."
0:15:05 > 0:15:07"What's the value of that property?" "No comment."
0:15:07 > 0:15:09"And what's the current mortgage on that property?"
0:15:09 > 0:15:11"No comment."
0:15:11 > 0:15:13"Who is the mortgage held with?"
0:15:13 > 0:15:14There was just silence.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17But on the back of Derek's investigation,
0:15:17 > 0:15:20a judge determined that Scragg was guilty of not paying
0:15:20 > 0:15:25an astounding £26 million of VAT and PAYE payments.
0:15:26 > 0:15:30The judge gave Scragg a 17-year jail sentence,
0:15:30 > 0:15:33and ordered him to repay £1 million to the state,
0:15:33 > 0:15:36which was all the money Scragg was deemed to have left.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38It was one of the highest sentences
0:15:38 > 0:15:41any person, for fraud, has received in the UK.
0:15:46 > 0:15:51With Thomas Scragg, all of his known assets such as his watches,
0:15:51 > 0:15:53you know, and all his sporting memorabilia
0:15:53 > 0:15:57was auctioned off in order to satisfy his confiscation order,
0:15:57 > 0:16:01and other assets, such as his house and vehicles, were repossessed.
0:16:01 > 0:16:05So in effect, Tommy Scragg has got none of the benefits
0:16:05 > 0:16:07from his criminality any more.
0:16:07 > 0:16:11And of course, his assets were all put up for auction and sold off.
0:16:11 > 0:16:14But for Derek, it's all about detecting the fraud.
0:16:14 > 0:16:17The quality of the investigation, you know,
0:16:17 > 0:16:20it is a success moment for the whole investigation team.
0:16:25 > 0:16:27The Proceeds of Crime Act has been used
0:16:27 > 0:16:29to tackle some of the UK's biggest fraudsters,
0:16:29 > 0:16:33but victims on the south coast found the law just as useful
0:16:33 > 0:16:36for getting their money back from a local rogue trader.
0:16:39 > 0:16:43Often, the Proceeds of Crime Act is used to bring major fraudsters
0:16:43 > 0:16:46and drug dealers down to financial size.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49But it worked just as well when Trading Standards discovered
0:16:49 > 0:16:52a local conman who was targeting the elderly.
0:16:54 > 0:16:5792-year-old Joan Davis was tricked into believing her roof needed
0:16:57 > 0:17:01extensive repair work by a rogue roofer named John Gray.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04Her daughter Val remembers what happened.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07He told her that the tiles were thinning,
0:17:07 > 0:17:09and really, she needed a new roof,
0:17:09 > 0:17:13and that would cost £70,000 to £80,000.
0:17:13 > 0:17:14She let the chap in,
0:17:14 > 0:17:17and let him into the roof to have a look,
0:17:17 > 0:17:19where he took some pictures,
0:17:19 > 0:17:21apparently on something like a tablet or a smartphone,
0:17:21 > 0:17:22she wasn't sure what it was.
0:17:24 > 0:17:28But apparently, this showed, "Bloom on the timbers," he said,
0:17:28 > 0:17:32which was caused by salt blowing in through cracks.
0:17:32 > 0:17:36But conman John Gray and his firm, named RoofRevivers,
0:17:36 > 0:17:38offered to help her out.
0:17:38 > 0:17:40He said, "Well, there is an alternative.
0:17:41 > 0:17:45"I have got this special coating we can put on,
0:17:45 > 0:17:49"and that should be £20,000 to £24,000,
0:17:49 > 0:17:52"just to put the coating on. But of course,
0:17:52 > 0:17:56"it would be that much cheaper than the £70,000 to £80,000
0:17:56 > 0:17:58"that the full roof replacement would cost.
0:17:58 > 0:18:01"But I could give you a discount for this and a discount for that,"
0:18:01 > 0:18:05and eventually, he got it down to about £8,000.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09But he said, "But you've got to make up your mind straightaway."
0:18:11 > 0:18:13RoofRevivers shouldn't have been pressuring
0:18:13 > 0:18:1592-year-old Joan in this way.
0:18:15 > 0:18:19But she decided to cough up £8,000
0:18:19 > 0:18:22to repair a roof that didn't need any work.
0:18:22 > 0:18:24She was furious with me.
0:18:24 > 0:18:27She didn't want to accept that this had happened.
0:18:27 > 0:18:30It was very, very difficult to convince her.
0:18:30 > 0:18:34Very painful, lots of rows and horrible conversations
0:18:34 > 0:18:37with her putting the phone down on me.
0:18:37 > 0:18:40And I thought she was actually going to put up the shutters and say,
0:18:40 > 0:18:43"I don't want to see you ever again." It was very, very upsetting.
0:18:43 > 0:18:45Very upsetting for her, and for me as well.
0:18:47 > 0:18:49And she wasn't the only one.
0:18:49 > 0:18:52The local Trading Standards team received numerous complaints
0:18:52 > 0:18:55about John Gray, and how he was misleading elderly homeowners
0:18:55 > 0:18:58that he could work wonders with their roofs,
0:18:58 > 0:19:01then was pocketing thousands of their cash for his own use.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05Trading Standards decided to use the Proceeds Of Crime law
0:19:05 > 0:19:07to see if they could get back the money
0:19:07 > 0:19:08from John Gray's painting scam.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12There were various claims made about the coloured paint
0:19:12 > 0:19:15that were too good to be true.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18No paint is going to do that,
0:19:18 > 0:19:19which was proved in our evidence.
0:19:19 > 0:19:22It was just a coloured paint.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24I think it really damaged her self-confidence.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27In many ways, it was as bad as a physical attack,
0:19:27 > 0:19:30as bad as a mugging, because...
0:19:31 > 0:19:35..she had thought she could trust her mind, trust her judgment,
0:19:35 > 0:19:39and she'd fallen for a trickster.
0:19:39 > 0:19:42Trading Standards carried out a full investigation of John Gray
0:19:42 > 0:19:45and his cons, and as a result,
0:19:45 > 0:19:47he was jailed for eight months.
0:19:47 > 0:19:50But they were after more.
0:19:50 > 0:19:55We decided to take a Proceeds Of Crime investigation,
0:19:55 > 0:19:58and we looked to get back the money
0:19:58 > 0:20:00that the consumers had been paid,
0:20:00 > 0:20:03and we were successfully able to get a compensation order
0:20:03 > 0:20:07so that the victims that were involved in the case
0:20:07 > 0:20:11were able to get a substantial amount of their money back.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13And the Proceeds of Crime investigation
0:20:13 > 0:20:15turned the screw on John Gray.
0:20:15 > 0:20:18A further search by the County Council's financial investigator
0:20:18 > 0:20:21unearthed more than £16,000,
0:20:21 > 0:20:25which a judge ordered Gray to hand over to his victims.
0:20:25 > 0:20:29Sadly, Joan passed away just weeks before Grey's trial,
0:20:29 > 0:20:32and didn't get to see the justice she so deserved.
0:20:32 > 0:20:37She died five weeks before the trial.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39I think she would have been relieved, yes,
0:20:39 > 0:20:42to know that he was jailed, and also
0:20:42 > 0:20:45that a fair bit of money was recovered.
0:20:45 > 0:20:47This was a terrific result for Trading Standards.
0:20:47 > 0:20:51It's a sign to the traders out there that crime doesn't pay,
0:20:51 > 0:20:54you may have to serve your time in prison,
0:20:54 > 0:20:56but also, you're going to have to repay
0:20:56 > 0:20:59some of the money to the victims as well.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02Trading Standards have done an amazing job
0:21:02 > 0:21:04under the Proceeds of Crime Act,
0:21:04 > 0:21:08and have recovered just over half my mother's money.
0:21:08 > 0:21:11And that, I think, is a wonderful thing.
0:21:14 > 0:21:18The Proceeds of Crime Act can help the vulnerable and elderly
0:21:18 > 0:21:20recover money they've had stolen.
0:21:20 > 0:21:22But it can also help community projects,
0:21:22 > 0:21:24like this one in South Wales.
0:21:28 > 0:21:32One area of the country that's seen its share of problems with crime
0:21:32 > 0:21:34is Blaina, near Gwynedd in Wales.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37Richard Sean knows the area well - he grew up here.
0:21:37 > 0:21:39Blaina's always been a tough area,
0:21:39 > 0:21:40same as all the surrounding towns,
0:21:40 > 0:21:43your Abertillery, your Brynmawr, Six Bells.
0:21:43 > 0:21:45They're all mining communities.
0:21:45 > 0:21:49There's high unemployment in the area,
0:21:49 > 0:21:51there's not a lot of money,
0:21:51 > 0:21:54there's no money coming in and being invested into the area,
0:21:54 > 0:21:57so, yeah, it's a tough area, and I think kids have been brought up,
0:21:57 > 0:22:00they've had to fight, really, from a very, very young age.
0:22:02 > 0:22:05It's the sort of place where extra activities can help pass the time,
0:22:05 > 0:22:08and 20 years ago, Richard took up martial arts.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11Started off with judo and karate.
0:22:11 > 0:22:12For the past 15 years,
0:22:12 > 0:22:15I've been training jujitsu boxing and mixed martial arts.
0:22:17 > 0:22:19Something I do every day of my life.
0:22:19 > 0:22:22So it's a lifestyle as well as anything else.
0:22:22 > 0:22:23There's not a lot of work here.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26Male unemployment is double the British average.
0:22:26 > 0:22:30The only business doing well locally is the boarding-up business.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33An atmosphere like this can be a driver for crime.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35But Richard had other ideas.
0:22:35 > 0:22:38Lots of people have left the area over the years, you know...
0:22:38 > 0:22:42Myself, I decided to stay put and open my own martial arts academy.
0:22:44 > 0:22:45And it was a justified decision,
0:22:45 > 0:22:48I think we're doing really well at the moment.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50We started off in a little cellar under a nightclub,
0:22:50 > 0:22:52there was 12 of us.
0:22:52 > 0:22:54The club's just gone from strength to strength.
0:22:54 > 0:22:56More and more people getting involved,
0:22:56 > 0:22:57youngsters taking themselves off the street,
0:22:57 > 0:22:59coming in and doing something positive.
0:22:59 > 0:23:02Nine years on, we're up in Blaina.
0:23:02 > 0:23:05We've gone from a population of 12 to 60, 70 students now
0:23:05 > 0:23:08and it's been something really positive for the area.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11But like everything else in Blaina, the club began to run out of money.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13The club hit a crossroads a while back,
0:23:13 > 0:23:15inasmuch as everything was worn and torn,
0:23:15 > 0:23:19the equipment had had its day, a lot of the stuff we had was handed down,
0:23:19 > 0:23:20or purchased second-hand.
0:23:20 > 0:23:22We were getting no investment, no funding off anybody,
0:23:22 > 0:23:24none of the councils were willing to help.
0:23:24 > 0:23:27We didn't have any option of taking the club to the next level,
0:23:27 > 0:23:29so we were at risk of closing, to be honest.
0:23:31 > 0:23:32With no money to spend,
0:23:32 > 0:23:36it was looking like another business in Blaina would be closing down.
0:23:36 > 0:23:40But there was a rare ray of light in this former mining town.
0:23:40 > 0:23:42I was at home one day on the computer,
0:23:42 > 0:23:44and had a message on Facebook
0:23:44 > 0:23:47off somebody that I hadn't spoken to for many years,
0:23:47 > 0:23:50just saying, he thought it was great what we were doing with the club,
0:23:50 > 0:23:53and what we were doing with the community.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55And I responded with, you know,
0:23:55 > 0:23:57we're at a bit of a crossroads, really,
0:23:57 > 0:23:58contemplating closing the gym down
0:23:58 > 0:24:00because of the lack of facilities there.
0:24:00 > 0:24:04And he told me that the Proceeds of Crime Act
0:24:04 > 0:24:06were handing out funding through the police.
0:24:06 > 0:24:09Richard's local Police And Crime Commissioner ran a scheme
0:24:09 > 0:24:11whereby local groups could apply for money
0:24:11 > 0:24:13to help boost their activities.
0:24:13 > 0:24:15Richard filled in the forms online
0:24:15 > 0:24:17and put in an application for funding for the club.
0:24:17 > 0:24:20It was a long few months, waiting for the decision off the police
0:24:20 > 0:24:22to decide whether we would be awarded funding.
0:24:24 > 0:24:26The club was on its knees,
0:24:26 > 0:24:29but their application had made it through to the Commissioner.
0:24:29 > 0:24:32A couple months after we put the application in,
0:24:32 > 0:24:34I received a phone call off a lovely lady telling me that
0:24:34 > 0:24:37we'd been awarded the whole amount, the whole £5,000,
0:24:37 > 0:24:39which really took me aback, to be honest,
0:24:39 > 0:24:41did not expect it at all.
0:24:42 > 0:24:45Over the moon, really pleased.
0:24:45 > 0:24:48It just meant I could really give the place a revamp,
0:24:48 > 0:24:51we could provide, particularly some of the higher-level lads,
0:24:51 > 0:24:53with the facility they needed to push on to the next level
0:24:53 > 0:24:55within their martial arts journey as well.
0:24:58 > 0:25:00With Proceeds of Crime money behind them,
0:25:00 > 0:25:03the club's sporting success really took off.
0:25:03 > 0:25:07And now local Blaina kids had a very physical, but very worthwhile,
0:25:07 > 0:25:08place to spend their time.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15And now, the club has a thriving membership.
0:25:15 > 0:25:16We've established ourselves now as
0:25:16 > 0:25:19probably one of the top-tier teams in Europe.
0:25:20 > 0:25:22We've got British champions at every single belt level,
0:25:22 > 0:25:24from white up to black.
0:25:24 > 0:25:26We've got medallists at European level,
0:25:26 > 0:25:29at various belt levels. We've got three fighters, now,
0:25:29 > 0:25:31which are currently ranked in the top ten in Europe.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33We've got the facility, we've got the numbers,
0:25:33 > 0:25:35we've got a good student base, we're getting bigger and bigger.
0:25:35 > 0:25:38We've got affiliation clubs in different areas, down in Cardiff,
0:25:38 > 0:25:40over in Blaenavon, for example.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43We've got people travelling from all over to come and train with us
0:25:43 > 0:25:46so I really think it's just a matter of time before we get somebody
0:25:46 > 0:25:50into the UFC, and we just continue to grow as we are,
0:25:50 > 0:25:52still putting people out there, competing regularly
0:25:52 > 0:25:54and winning gold medals.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58And one young fighter the club has trained
0:25:58 > 0:26:01is really making a name for himself on the club circuit.
0:26:01 > 0:26:04Jack Marshman used to get in trouble with the police,
0:26:04 > 0:26:08but now he's rated as one of Europe's top MMA competitors.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12I train here twice a day, six times a week,
0:26:12 > 0:26:15so it is brilliant,
0:26:15 > 0:26:18we've got tonnes of pros that we train with, it's a brilliant gym.
0:26:26 > 0:26:30Jack has turned his back on his old life and has really thrown himself
0:26:30 > 0:26:34into being a top-notch competitive sportsman with the club's help.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36I've been with Richard for...
0:26:38 > 0:26:40..maybe 11 years now, you know,
0:26:40 > 0:26:42since I was a kid, and I definitely wouldn't be where I was going to be
0:26:42 > 0:26:43if it wasn't for him.
0:26:46 > 0:26:47Yeah, I think I am a contender.
0:26:47 > 0:26:51I'm one of the highest ranked Welsh fighters in Europe,
0:26:51 > 0:26:54and my next fight will probably see me a world title shot,
0:26:54 > 0:26:57to be honest with you, so it's going there.
0:26:57 > 0:27:01Mixed martial arts is such a growth sport that big international clubs
0:27:01 > 0:27:04have massive facilities for their fighters to train in.
0:27:04 > 0:27:06And Tillery Combat needs to do what it can
0:27:06 > 0:27:08to provide the best facilities.
0:27:08 > 0:27:11If I want to grow as a fighter, I'm going to need a gym
0:27:11 > 0:27:14with these sort of people in, and the coaches that we've got
0:27:14 > 0:27:16and training partners we've got.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19Having had a boost of cash from the criminals' coffers,
0:27:19 > 0:27:21the club is going from strength to strength.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24Without it, we wouldn't be here doing what we're doing today,
0:27:24 > 0:27:26so they've given us a facility
0:27:26 > 0:27:28that's comparable with anywhere, now, in the UK,
0:27:28 > 0:27:32so without the funding from the Police Commissioners,
0:27:32 > 0:27:34we wouldn't be where we are today. We'd be closed, probably.
0:27:47 > 0:27:51Drug dealers across the country lose millions of pounds every year
0:27:51 > 0:27:54because financial investigators seize their assets,
0:27:54 > 0:27:56and the police can take anything
0:27:56 > 0:27:59they believe was bought with illegal money.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05Watches, jewellery and cars are often the type of possessions seized
0:28:05 > 0:28:09by police from criminals to sell onto a proceeds of crime auction.
0:28:09 > 0:28:13But staff at the auction house are seeing a new trend emerging.
0:28:13 > 0:28:15Instead of giving them bling to sell,
0:28:15 > 0:28:18the police are sending them a criminal's art collection.
0:28:19 > 0:28:21Yeah, what we find is you can notice the trends.
0:28:21 > 0:28:24Five, ten years ago, it was all about sort of
0:28:24 > 0:28:26the standard stereotypical bling items,
0:28:26 > 0:28:28the diamonds and the jewellery.
0:28:28 > 0:28:30What we find now is people who have money,
0:28:30 > 0:28:32whether it's illegally or not, are still looking for
0:28:32 > 0:28:34a more sound investment as somewhere to put their money,
0:28:34 > 0:28:37and what they've found, with people like Banksy coming on the scene,
0:28:37 > 0:28:41is that an investment in modern art is as good as an investment
0:28:41 > 0:28:43in the stereotypical Rolex or the gold bars.
0:28:45 > 0:28:47These stills were taken by officers
0:28:47 > 0:28:50that had just raided the flat of a drug dealer in Brighton.
0:28:51 > 0:28:54Unsurprisingly, police found evidence of drugs being in the flat,
0:28:54 > 0:28:58just as their investigations had suggested.
0:28:58 > 0:29:01But the gear hanging on the walls was a surprise.
0:29:02 > 0:29:06You may not recognise any of the artworks this dealer had,
0:29:06 > 0:29:09but it's highly desirable work on the contemporary scene,
0:29:09 > 0:29:10and is worth thousands.
0:29:12 > 0:29:15Proceeds of Crime expert Mick Beattie knows the case.
0:29:16 > 0:29:19The art was seized as part of an investigation into an individual,
0:29:19 > 0:29:22Trevor Baker. When they searched his house, they found controlled drugs
0:29:22 > 0:29:24and he was convicted in relation to those.
0:29:24 > 0:29:27Part of his financial investigation into his life circumstances,
0:29:27 > 0:29:29they identified he had substantial amounts of money
0:29:29 > 0:29:30going through bank accounts.
0:29:30 > 0:29:33They also found evidence that he was trying to launder this money
0:29:33 > 0:29:36he was making, no doubt from the drug trafficking, through artwork.
0:29:36 > 0:29:38Modern art is a viable asset.
0:29:38 > 0:29:42What you want, as a criminal, is you want to put your money somewhere,
0:29:42 > 0:29:43either you want to spend it,
0:29:43 > 0:29:45so you either want something of status and symbolism,
0:29:45 > 0:29:47or you want something that's a sound investment.
0:29:49 > 0:29:51And following an investigation,
0:29:51 > 0:29:54the owner of this rather ill-kept flat was guilty of drug dealing
0:29:54 > 0:29:57and ordered to repay a hefty £50,000
0:29:57 > 0:30:00that a judge said he'd made in profits.
0:30:01 > 0:30:04Police have already taken his car off him,
0:30:04 > 0:30:06and now his art is up for sale.
0:30:06 > 0:30:08It's no longer hanging on his wall.
0:30:08 > 0:30:11Instead, it's hanging up here, at the auction house,
0:30:11 > 0:30:15with potential buyers hoping to snap it up at a good price.
0:30:15 > 0:30:18One of the most significant lots from the dealer's collection is
0:30:18 > 0:30:22this rather eye-catching piece called Hammerheadz by James Cauty.
0:30:22 > 0:30:26And auctioneer Aidan Larkin is about to find out what it will go for.
0:30:26 > 0:30:27This one's called Hammerheadz.
0:30:27 > 0:30:29Very, very collectable,
0:30:29 > 0:30:32and we know there's quite a few online waiting to buy this,
0:30:32 > 0:30:33so who will kick me off?
0:30:33 > 0:30:35£50, I'm bid. Bid in at £50.
0:30:35 > 0:30:37Gentleman's bid at £50.
0:30:37 > 0:30:39I have 100 online now, I have 100 online.
0:30:39 > 0:30:43150? At £150, it's with the online bidder, Hammerheadz.
0:30:43 > 0:30:45150, it's in the hall now.
0:30:45 > 0:30:46200, now, against you.
0:30:46 > 0:30:48250, 300.
0:30:48 > 0:30:50Gormley's said 2,000-5,000.
0:30:50 > 0:30:52It's with the online bidder at £300.
0:30:52 > 0:30:55350. At 450, it's in the hall,
0:30:55 > 0:30:56at £450,
0:30:56 > 0:31:00it's with the hall bidder now at £450, and you bid £500.
0:31:00 > 0:31:03New bidder, 550, online, straight in again.
0:31:03 > 0:31:04575 here.
0:31:04 > 0:31:05600, new bid.
0:31:05 > 0:31:06625.
0:31:06 > 0:31:09650. 675?
0:31:09 > 0:31:11Shakes the head, it's here at 650.
0:31:11 > 0:31:14It's a new bidder at £650 once,
0:31:14 > 0:31:17650 twice, third and last...
0:31:17 > 0:31:18- HE TAPS HAMMER - Sold.
0:31:18 > 0:31:19Hammerheadz went very well.
0:31:19 > 0:31:21The modern art has such a strong following.
0:31:21 > 0:31:23There's always a bit of uncertainty
0:31:23 > 0:31:24with those particular types of items,
0:31:24 > 0:31:27because they really are bespoke pieces.
0:31:27 > 0:31:28You have to find the right buyers,
0:31:28 > 0:31:31but with a good, steady sort of marketing campaign beforehand,
0:31:31 > 0:31:33we're very pleased to see there was a lot of competitive bidding,
0:31:33 > 0:31:35people were bidding online,
0:31:35 > 0:31:37people were bidding in the hall and it did very well in the end.
0:31:39 > 0:31:42And it seems experts from the art world are not at all surprised
0:31:42 > 0:31:46that edgy, contemporary work is looking good to criminals.
0:31:46 > 0:31:49They think art values are only going one way.
0:31:49 > 0:31:53Current contemporary market at the moment's just fantastic, you know,
0:31:53 > 0:31:55it just keeps going up and up and up,
0:31:55 > 0:31:57especially in the street art
0:31:57 > 0:31:59or urban art sort of genre, if you like.
0:31:59 > 0:32:02I think it's potentially the biggest movement of our times,
0:32:02 > 0:32:04the street art movement.
0:32:04 > 0:32:06And that reflects in the market.
0:32:06 > 0:32:10And currently, the market is what is happening right here at this
0:32:10 > 0:32:13Proceeds of Crime auction of the jailed dealer's art.
0:32:13 > 0:32:16Potential buyers are showing considerable interest,
0:32:16 > 0:32:19and whatever gets bid on the works here
0:32:19 > 0:32:20will be returned to the government.
0:32:22 > 0:32:26Operation Magic Kingdom - War Can Be Fun, again, artist James Cauty.
0:32:26 > 0:32:28Let's kick things off. It's unreserved.
0:32:28 > 0:32:30£500 anywhere?
0:32:30 > 0:32:31£500 I'm bid.
0:32:31 > 0:32:33Bid in at £500 on the Cauty.
0:32:33 > 0:32:35At £600, gentlemen's bid at 600.
0:32:35 > 0:32:38At £600, shakes the head, 700, new bid online.
0:32:38 > 0:32:40At 700, 800 seated.
0:32:40 > 0:32:43It's in the hall, that's valued at 800, 900.
0:32:43 > 0:32:44950, new bid.
0:32:44 > 0:32:45At £950.
0:32:45 > 0:32:47£1,000, one online bidder.
0:32:47 > 0:32:49Shakes the head. It's at £1,000.
0:32:49 > 0:32:52Valued from 2,000-5,000 up with Gormley's.
0:32:53 > 0:32:551,050, I knew you were thinking about it.
0:32:55 > 0:32:57At £1,050 once...
0:32:58 > 0:33:011,050 twice, third and last...
0:33:01 > 0:33:02HE TAPS HAMMER
0:33:02 > 0:33:05Magic Kingdom, it was by the same artist as Hammerheadz,
0:33:05 > 0:33:07and what you find in an auction,
0:33:07 > 0:33:09when you achieve a certain price with a certain artist,
0:33:09 > 0:33:11then other peepers, other speculators,
0:33:11 > 0:33:12will then all of a sudden realise...
0:33:12 > 0:33:15"Hmm, I'd be interested in buying that as well."
0:33:15 > 0:33:17So it also did very, very well and exceeded our expectations.
0:33:18 > 0:33:20By the end of the auction,
0:33:20 > 0:33:25the sale of various artworks has raised an impressive £1,700.
0:33:25 > 0:33:27The public purse has made a pretty penny
0:33:27 > 0:33:29from some not-so-pretty pictures.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37Selling off a drug dealer's paintings
0:33:37 > 0:33:39can raise money through Proceeds of Crime,
0:33:39 > 0:33:42and some of that money can go back into the community,
0:33:42 > 0:33:44as this charity found out.
0:33:46 > 0:33:49Seagulls Reuse was set up in 2013
0:33:49 > 0:33:53by two friends looking to stop unnecessary waste in the area.
0:33:53 > 0:33:56They never imagined they'd wind up getting help
0:33:56 > 0:33:57from money seized from criminals.
0:33:59 > 0:34:01In Leeds alone,
0:34:01 > 0:34:04tonnes of unused paint were being chucked out every year.
0:34:04 > 0:34:08And they had a novel idea of how to prevent this.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11Back in the days when there weren't any green recycling bins
0:34:11 > 0:34:14or, really, any awareness of recycling and re-use,
0:34:14 > 0:34:16we thought we could do something about that.
0:34:16 > 0:34:19Our belief's always been that one man's rubbish is another's gold,
0:34:19 > 0:34:22and, you know, why couldn't we make money out of rubbish
0:34:22 > 0:34:23for ourselves and for others, really?
0:34:23 > 0:34:27Somebody came up with the idea of paint and we sort of
0:34:27 > 0:34:29hounded the council, for want of a better word.
0:34:29 > 0:34:31- I think they saw that we were passionate, didn't they?- Yeah.
0:34:31 > 0:34:34- And that we weren't going to... - Weren't going to give up.
0:34:34 > 0:34:35We weren't going to give up and go anywhere,
0:34:35 > 0:34:38- so they might as well work with us, I suppose.- Yeah.
0:34:38 > 0:34:41With some paint on the market at £30 a pot,
0:34:41 > 0:34:44and with the average household owning 17 tins,
0:34:44 > 0:34:47Cat and Kat wanted to use the leftover paint
0:34:47 > 0:34:50and remix it to sell as a cheaper alternative.
0:34:50 > 0:34:54This enterprising pair wanted to see the waste repurposed
0:34:54 > 0:34:58and offer a scheme which would have a positive impact on the community.
0:34:58 > 0:35:01Our passion has always been people, as well as the planet,
0:35:01 > 0:35:02as cheesy as that sounds.
0:35:02 > 0:35:04We like to think that we do grow people,
0:35:04 > 0:35:07so people can come to us with very low self-esteem,
0:35:07 > 0:35:09very low confidence.
0:35:09 > 0:35:10They think they have no skills,
0:35:10 > 0:35:12although that's actually usually rubbish.
0:35:14 > 0:35:16I think what we excel at here is that there's an individual programme
0:35:16 > 0:35:19for each person and it's their needs that are met in terms of
0:35:19 > 0:35:22what they do here and how they progress.
0:35:22 > 0:35:24Me being a single mum when I first came to Leeds, you know,
0:35:24 > 0:35:27I got involved in a voluntary project and it really helped me
0:35:27 > 0:35:29in building confidence and making me feel worthwhile,
0:35:29 > 0:35:32and we just wanted to pass that down to everybody else,
0:35:32 > 0:35:34and we live in an area where there's a lot of need for that,
0:35:34 > 0:35:37and there's a lot of people who were looking for things to do
0:35:37 > 0:35:38and support, and the right kind of support,
0:35:38 > 0:35:40and I think that's really important.
0:35:41 > 0:35:44Running this paint recycling plant isn't cheap.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47Seagulls needed to raise money to keep the scheme going,
0:35:47 > 0:35:50and re-use what would otherwise have been thrown away.
0:35:51 > 0:35:54We didn't quite know it at the time, but the process of
0:35:54 > 0:35:57collecting the paint, mixing the paint, selling the paint,
0:35:57 > 0:36:01it takes a lot of people power and a lot of people energy, really.
0:36:04 > 0:36:08In 2015, the local Police And Crime Commissioner
0:36:08 > 0:36:11was offering cash seized from criminals to help local groups.
0:36:11 > 0:36:14Seagulls weren't sure if they could get funding,
0:36:14 > 0:36:16but put in an application.
0:36:16 > 0:36:19It was a mighty relief when they received £5,000
0:36:19 > 0:36:21that would help keep them working.
0:36:23 > 0:36:26Our volunteer programme does rely on external funding.
0:36:26 > 0:36:29We can't support that just from the work we do within the enterprise,
0:36:29 > 0:36:33so it's vital, really, that we get funds like the Proceeds of Crime.
0:36:33 > 0:36:35- And it does really makes sense, doesn't it?- Yeah.
0:36:35 > 0:36:39To have the Proceeds of Crime money to go back into projects
0:36:39 > 0:36:41like ourselves, who are working with people
0:36:41 > 0:36:43who, A, have either been in prison
0:36:43 > 0:36:45or B, have a risk of going into prison,
0:36:45 > 0:36:48so that we could make sure we were engaging with as many ex-offenders
0:36:48 > 0:36:51- as we could.- It's very difficult for them to engage elsewhere,
0:36:51 > 0:36:54so they tend to stay with us indefinitely.
0:36:54 > 0:36:56We've got quite a high retention rate here.
0:36:56 > 0:36:58Yeah, people don't like to leave us, do they?
0:37:00 > 0:37:03The group are known for their distinctive vehicles.
0:37:03 > 0:37:05Driving the pink van today is Ruksar,
0:37:05 > 0:37:09a former low-level offender who has turned his life around and is now
0:37:09 > 0:37:13working at Seagulls and benefiting from their Proceeds of Crime money.
0:37:13 > 0:37:16I was in a resettlement prison, an open prison,
0:37:16 > 0:37:20so I was given the opportunity to improve my skill set, you know,
0:37:20 > 0:37:22to gain... Well, you know, to get work.
0:37:22 > 0:37:26Part of that was going to college, which I learnt a trade,
0:37:26 > 0:37:31which was decorating, and I started volunteering at Seagulls.
0:37:32 > 0:37:34That's a good one, mate. That's bad.
0:37:34 > 0:37:37It's good and it creates opportunity,
0:37:37 > 0:37:38it creates sort of training.
0:37:38 > 0:37:41If you want to change, it gives you that platform
0:37:41 > 0:37:43and the opportunity to change.
0:37:48 > 0:37:50So this is our paint store.
0:37:50 > 0:37:52As you can see, a load of paint has come in.
0:37:52 > 0:37:55We've got volunteers and employees, they're all mixing the paint,
0:37:55 > 0:37:57so it comes in, it gets separated into type,
0:37:57 > 0:37:59and then it gets mixed up.
0:37:59 > 0:38:02You get a blob of colour on the top and it goes on the shelves.
0:38:02 > 0:38:03Through their two shops,
0:38:03 > 0:38:06Seagulls serve over 10,000 customers per year,
0:38:06 > 0:38:10and with paint on sale for as little as £1.70 per litre,
0:38:10 > 0:38:12it's affordable for everyone.
0:38:13 > 0:38:16It's a bit of a bargain, and everyone's really nice and friendly,
0:38:16 > 0:38:19and everyone's helpful and they can mix colours that you want, and...
0:38:19 > 0:38:21Yeah, it's really nice.
0:38:21 > 0:38:23- See you later.- Bye.
0:38:23 > 0:38:27The charity has also had a more obvious impact on the community
0:38:27 > 0:38:30through the murals the volunteers have made on the streets,
0:38:30 > 0:38:34and it was all helped along by the Proceeds of Crime Act.
0:38:34 > 0:38:37There was a project to get people involved in volunteering,
0:38:37 > 0:38:41and members of the local community to get involved with Seagulls
0:38:41 > 0:38:44and to create something beautiful for the local area.
0:38:44 > 0:38:46We're all about helping people,
0:38:46 > 0:38:50be that someone who might well have got into trouble with the law,
0:38:50 > 0:38:53be that someone with a mental health problem or a learning disability,
0:38:53 > 0:38:56we try to make people from all different backgrounds work together
0:38:56 > 0:38:59and create amazing projects like you see behind me,
0:38:59 > 0:39:03and without the Proceeds of Crime money helping us do that,
0:39:03 > 0:39:05we wouldn't be able to fulfil our aims
0:39:05 > 0:39:07and work with as many people as we do.
0:39:13 > 0:39:16For Proceeds of Crime money to be spent on good causes,
0:39:16 > 0:39:19an asset first has to be sold,
0:39:19 > 0:39:22and there's very high expectations for one top-of-the-range item
0:39:22 > 0:39:24that's about to go under the hammer.
0:39:27 > 0:39:29Earlier on, we saw how these two drug dealers,
0:39:29 > 0:39:34Mahboob Alam and Mohammad Aslam, were arrested by police.
0:39:34 > 0:39:38Officers believed the dealers had made as much as £6 million
0:39:38 > 0:39:41selling cocaine and heroin on the streets of Bradford.
0:39:42 > 0:39:44For their crime, the two men were sent to prison
0:39:44 > 0:39:47for 17 years and seven years respectively,
0:39:47 > 0:39:50but the law didn't just stop at jailing them.
0:39:50 > 0:39:54West Yorkshire Asset Recovery Enforcement Team
0:39:54 > 0:39:57looked into what property and goods the men had amassed.
0:39:57 > 0:40:00They discovered that one of the men owned a whole street of houses
0:40:00 > 0:40:04in Bradford, all bought with profits from drug dealing.
0:40:04 > 0:40:06They forced him to sell off the entire street
0:40:06 > 0:40:09and return the money to the public purse.
0:40:09 > 0:40:12And his fellow Bradford drug dealer, Mohammad Aslam,
0:40:12 > 0:40:15was found to have this on his wrist,
0:40:15 > 0:40:18a £25,000 Rolex watch.
0:40:18 > 0:40:21The police seized it and have put it up for sale here.
0:40:21 > 0:40:24Group Asset Recovery Manager Aidan Larkin
0:40:24 > 0:40:25is expecting a busy room.
0:40:25 > 0:40:28People just like the fun of the fair and the sort of razzmatazz
0:40:28 > 0:40:30of the auction, to see everything that's happening.
0:40:30 > 0:40:33And Aidan knows that this particular item
0:40:33 > 0:40:36is one of the true heavyweights of the watch world.
0:40:36 > 0:40:37Particularly brands like Rolex there,
0:40:37 > 0:40:40they have a worldwide following, so if you can take that watch,
0:40:40 > 0:40:42whatever you pay for it, any country in the world,
0:40:42 > 0:40:44you can still use that as a currency.
0:40:44 > 0:40:46You could go in and trade in that watch,
0:40:46 > 0:40:48be you in Hong Kong or London or New York,
0:40:48 > 0:40:50it'll always have its value in any currency.
0:40:51 > 0:40:55But this watch stands out even amongst the Rolex brand.
0:40:55 > 0:40:58Lot 83 is a Rolex Oyster.
0:40:58 > 0:41:01It's brand-new. It still has the original cellophane and plastic
0:41:01 > 0:41:04around the watch, box, papers, it's in perfect condition.
0:41:04 > 0:41:07A watch like this, particularly in 18-carat rose gold,
0:41:07 > 0:41:08rose gold is very desirable
0:41:08 > 0:41:11and it's the current fashion of a lot of watchmakers,
0:41:11 > 0:41:14so this watch will easily go past £10,000 at the auction.
0:41:16 > 0:41:19And that's good news, because the money made from the watch
0:41:19 > 0:41:23will go back to the government to be spent on policing and good causes,
0:41:23 > 0:41:24but what will it fetch?
0:41:25 > 0:41:26Lot number 83,
0:41:26 > 0:41:28the Rolex.
0:41:28 > 0:41:33There's one 18-carat rose gold case with a rose dial
0:41:33 > 0:41:35and an 18-carat rose gold oyster bracelet.
0:41:35 > 0:41:38This is a very nice piece in for sale.
0:41:38 > 0:41:41Box and papers are supplied with the watch.
0:41:41 > 0:41:44Cost new of the watch was £25,100.
0:41:44 > 0:41:46I'm getting 8,000...
0:41:46 > 0:41:48Straight away, the bidding has shot up
0:41:48 > 0:41:50close to what the auctioneers were hoping for.
0:41:50 > 0:41:52£10,000,
0:41:52 > 0:41:54bidding at ten, bidding at 10,000, £11,000 online.
0:41:54 > 0:41:57At 11,000. At 11,000, 12,000...
0:41:57 > 0:41:59Now it's beaten their estimate.
0:41:59 > 0:42:04£13,000, bidding at 13, bid online, 13,000.
0:42:04 > 0:42:0914 online. 14,000. At £14,000, bidding in at 14,
0:42:09 > 0:42:12bidding in at £14,000 all done. 14,000 and I sell online...
0:42:12 > 0:42:15And 14,500 it is. 14,500.
0:42:15 > 0:42:18At 14,500, bidding in at 14,500.
0:42:18 > 0:42:20Bidding in at 14,500.
0:42:20 > 0:42:23At 14,500. Hammer's up, going once,
0:42:23 > 0:42:24twice...
0:42:24 > 0:42:27- 14,500.- That's one happy buyer.
0:42:27 > 0:42:32He's just got a £24,000 watch still in its original packaging,
0:42:32 > 0:42:35but sold to him for just over £14,000.
0:42:37 > 0:42:40And although the money to buy this watch the first time round
0:42:40 > 0:42:42came from drug dealing, this time round,
0:42:42 > 0:42:45the money will return to the public purse.
0:42:48 > 0:42:50Even when criminals are behind bars,
0:42:50 > 0:42:52they're still paying off their debt to society.
0:42:52 > 0:42:55And when they come out, if they haven't cleared that debt,
0:42:55 > 0:42:59the police will continue to hunt down their ill-gotten gains.