West Midlands Police have delivered a powerful message that crime doesn't pay after confiscating millions of pounds of illicit cash from offenders throughout 2025.
Millions Seized Through Court Orders
The force's Economic Crime Unit and County Lines Taskforce pursued more than 210 confiscation or forfeiture orders through the courts over the past year. Their robust evidence led to court rulings ordering criminals to hand over more than £3.9 million in total.
This action ensures that jailed criminals not only lose their liberty but are also stripped of any future financial benefit from their illegal activities. Offenders who fail to repay the money as ordered by the courts face extended prison sentences.
Relentless Pursuit of Criminal Proceeds
Using powers under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA), officers were able to legally reclaim money obtained through illegal means. West Midlands Police Chief Constable, Craig Guildford, stated the force's unwavering commitment.
"This just shows how we relentlessly pursue criminals," he said. "We will put them behind bars for many years and then ensure they can't financially benefit from their crimes in future. We've recovered significant sums of illegally acquired money over the last year. We'll continue to do so and prove crime doesn't pay."
Dirty Money Transformed into Community Good
In a positive twist, a portion of the seized cash is being directly reinvested into local neighbourhoods. Police and Crime Commissioner, Simon Foster, allocates proceeds of crime through his My Community Fund initiative.
He commented: “I’m pleased to see the huge impact of West Midlands Police’s Economic Crime Unit and County Lines Taskforce throughout the past 12 months as they’ve recovered almost £4 million. I’d like to pass on my thanks to officers for their relentless work to ensure that crime does not pay.”
So far, £330,000 seized from criminal activity has been allocated to a diverse range of community projects. This funding has supported:
- Youth hubs and boxing clubs.
- Projects aimed at supporting vulnerable people.
- A variety of other local groups across the region.
“I know first-hand just how big a difference this money makes to people and groups across the West Midlands,” Mr. Foster added.
