Convicted dealers can now have homes and other assets confiscated

A National Crime Squad spokesman said that legislation now made it possible to hit convicted drugs dealers where it hurt - "in their pockets."

Stephen Lewis Edwards, aged 35, of Ffynon Y Maen, Pyle, Bridgend, was convicted of conspiracy to supply amphetamine and possession with intent to supply amphetamine in May this year.

He was one of 12 people sentenced to a total of 80 years at Cardiff Crown Court after the National Crime Squad's Operation Eureka to dismantle a major drug network.

On Friday a financial hearing was held at Cardiff Crown Court and a confiscation order of �22,065 was made against Edwards.

The court ruled that he had benefited to this sum from drug trafficking.

Five other hearings have already been held and have seen confiscation orders totalling more than �21,000 made by the court.

Profits seized

Financial hearings against other members of the group are due to be held later this year.

A National Crime Squad spokesman said: "Financial investigations are now made in every case where it is appropriate.

"The aim is to ensure criminals are striped of the profits they make from crime and hit them where it really hurts - in their pockets."

In its first four years since it was formed in 1998, the National Crime Squad has it seized drugs worth over �866 million, disrupted over 1,300 criminal networks and identified for confiscation through the courts over �139 million of convicted criminals' illegally-gained assets.

In April this year, a major drug dealer was sentenced to 15 years imprisonment on drugs offences.

In 1998 he was a student, yet by the end of 1999 was able to cash purchase a �280 000 flat, and owned a Mercedes and Porsche.

NCS has seized over �860m worth of illegal drugs in four years

The court heard he had benefited by over �1.5m from his crimes and NCS investigators traced �700,000 of his assets after a three-year probe.

He can face a further sentence if he tries to obstruct recovery of his assets which will go back into the public purse and the fight against crimes including drug trafficking.

As well as predominantly focusing on drugs trafficking, the squad now also features organised human trafficking and hi-tech criminality amongst its top priorities.

It works closely with police forces and many other agencies both in the UK and abroad in its mission to tackle the top tier of criminality and their networks.