Community projects to gain from crime

Community projects in Greater Manchester are to benefit from police seizing the proceeds of crime.

Good causes are being asked to put in bids for a share of £60,000 seized by officers from Greater Manchester Police (GMP) Financial Investigation Unit which uncovered a world-wide scam.

In March, a Manchester-based airline received a bogus invoice purporting to be from a supplier in Africa. It resulted in 31,026 Euros being diverted to an account in Taiwan.

The matter was reported to police who launched an investigation. They discovered a money trail involving funds from America that had been sent to a UK bank account and were in the process of being transferred to Nigeria and Gambia.

No offenders were identified but officers seized £60,092 under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Although officers received calls from a man claiming to be a Nigerian police officer, and who demanded the money be sent to Nigeria, no one has made a legitimate claim to the cash.

On Thursday at Manchester City Magistrates’ Court, £28,329 of the seized cash was returned to the airline, reflecting the full value of the loss suffered in the scam.

The remaining £31,762 was forfeited with a portion now set to go to the Ministry of Justice Community Fund, which welcomes bids from members of the public to fund local projects.

Det-Con John Townsend, from GMP’s Financial Investigation Unit, said: “This case illustrates the international and often complex nature of crimes GMP can investigate.

“It also demonstrates the lengths we will go to on behalf of victims of this and any other type of crime. I hope some of this money will now have a direct and positive impact on communities in our area.

“I would recommend anyone who is looking for funding for any project they think will improve their community and the lives of the people in it, visit the Community Payback section of the Ministry of Justice website and make a bid for the funding, made available by our success in seizing cash from criminals.”