The NCA secured its first Unexplained Wealth Order in Northern Ireland
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UK cops have nailed a man hiding out in Ireland with a new ‘wealth order’.
The National Crime Agency (NCA) has secured their first ever ‘Unexplained Wealth Order’ in Northern Ireland against a man suspected of involvement in serious organised crime.
“This is a significant milestone in the fight against criminal finance in Northern Ireland,” said Suzanne Foster, Head of Asset Denial at the NCA.
The Order compels the man and his wife to explain the source of funds used to construct a property in Co Armagh worth approximately £275,000 (€320,000).
It was obtained this morning at the High Court in Belfast, Friday May 17, as part of an ongoing NCA ‘civil recovery investigation.’
NCA investigators believe that the man, who is now resident in the Republic, has connections to paramilitary activity, cigarette smuggling and money laundering.
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This is the first Unexplained Wealth Order to have been obtained in Northern Ireland since the introduction of the provisions of the Criminal Finances Act 2017 which came into force in Northern Ireland in June 2021.
The Order followed a number of legal challenges in the High Court by the Defendant’s Senior Counsel, including an unsuccessful challenge to the legal standing of the NCA in Northern Ireland.
Ms Foster of the NCA also added: “With the first Unexplained Wealth Order granted here, we continue to show that the NCA will use all the tools available to us to target those we believe are involved in serious crime, whoever and wherever they are.
“To get to this stage we have had to overcome significant legal challenges, and we can now continue to investigate the source of these funds.”