Enfield secures one of largest-ever confiscation orders under POCA

Enfield Council last month secured one of the largest confiscation orders ever obtained by any council under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

Recorder Lucas at Wood Green Crown Court ordered Amram Braha of Perth Road, Gants Hill, Ilford to pay back £11m or face ten years in jail.

Braha, 53, was originally convicted at Wood Green Crown Court in February 2008 for the possession of counterfeit Burberry shoes under the Trade Marks Act 1994.

An investigation by Enfield’s trading standards team had previously led to the seizure of 30,000 pairs of shoes from a warehouse in Edmonton. Braha was sentenced to 10 months’ imprisonment for the offences in February 2008.

An investigation was then launched into the financial affairs of Braha and his two co-defendants, which revealed that Braha was using an offshore bank account in the Dutch Antilles.

The bank used by Braha had had its licence removed by the Dutch banking authorities over VAT carousel frauds and money laundering activity.

Working with HM Revenue & Customs, Enfield Council found that £72m had passed through the account, to which Braha was the sole signatory.

The Recorder identified £10.7m in unpaid VAT relating to the banking transactions and £354,000 from the counterfeiting activity.

Braha did not provide an explanation as to the destination of the funds and so was determined by the court to have “hidden assets”.

He has been ordered to pay more than £11m within six months or face a default prison sentence of 10 years.

Sue McDaid, head of business regulation at Enfield Council, said: “This was an extremely complex investigation which started in an Edmonton warehouse and led us to a bank in the Caribbean through with a £74m VAT fraud operation had taken place.

“However, thanks to the diligence, tenacity and professionalism of my officers and excellent cooperation of HMRC, we have struck a hammer blow for consumers and legitimate traders everywhere.”