Northern Ireland

Bangor properties among property portfolio seized by NCA

The eight man gang jailed for smuggling heroin from Pakistan into the UK.
The eight man gang jailed for smuggling heroin from Pakistan into the UK. The eight man gang jailed for smuggling heroin from Pakistan into the UK.

THREE properties in Co Down are among a portfolio worth an estimated £17 million recovered by the National Crime Agency (NCA) following investigations into the activities of a Birmingham-based drug gang.

The NCA conducted four linked civil recovery investigations over an eight-and-a-half year period into individuals who were suspected of financial links to drug dealers Alam and Ameran Zeb Khan.

Investigators established that the properties were acquired using the proceeds of crime including heroin importation and distribution, fraud and money laundering.

The pair have both been convicted of drug trafficking offences on three occasions.

The civil recovery investigations found that they were using family members and wider associates to hold properties, bought with the proceeds of crime, on their behalf.

Three properties were located in the Co Down town of Bangor, the properties were in Victoria Road and Albert Street and have now been sold by the NCA after being seized as proceeds of crime.

The NCA started the civil investigation in to the gang following a referral from the PSNI in December 2011.

In July 2014, Border Force officers intercepted a container with £5million worth of heroin concealed inside.

Ameran Zeb Khan, was among a group of eight men imprisoned for a total of 139 years and four months at Birmingham Crown Court in July 2017.

Andy Lewis, Head of Asset Denial at the NCA, said: "This result displays the power of civil investigations working in tandem with criminal ones to take high harm organised crime groups down.

"Over several years, our officers have painstakingly identified unlawfully-held assets worth millions of pounds, and ensured that the subjects will no longer benefit from them.

"We will continue our work to scrutinise wealth we think is obtained from criminality, and take away their illicit assets.”

The properties recovered and subsequently put up for sale by the National Crime Agency, which included addresses housing multiple apartments as well as land and commercial premises, were located at:

– Victoria Road, Bangor, Northern Ireland

– Albert Street, Bangor, Northern Ireland

– Cherrywood Road, Bordesley Green, Birmingham – three properties

– Broad Road, Acocks Green, Birmingham – two properties

– Victoria Road, Stetchford, Birmingham

– Hubert Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham – two properties

– Cobham Road, Birmingham

– Stoney Lane, Yardley, Birmingham

– Debenham Road, Birmingham

– Belchers Lane, Birmingham

– Berkeley Road East, Birmingham

– Land off Langley Road, Small Heath, Birmingham

– Units at Sapcote Business Centre, Small Heath, Birmingham

– Seymour Close, Birmingham

– Henshaw Road, Birmingham

– Wright Street, Birmingham

– Lime Grove, Birmingham

– Whitmore Road, Birmingham

– Dawlish Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham – five properties

– Selly Hill Road, Birmingham – two properties

– Rookery Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham – five properties

– Alton Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham – six properties

– Luton Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham – three properties

– Dove House Lane, Solihull, West Midlands

– Warwards Lane, Selly Park, Birmingham

– Croydon Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham – three properties

– Harrow Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham

– Bournbrook Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham – three properties

– Bristol Road, Selly Oak, Birmingham – two properties

– Oak Tree Lane, Selly Oak, Birmingham

– Holders Gardens, Moseley, Birmingham

– Grange Road, Small Heath, Birmingham

– Cherington Road, Selly Park, Birmingham