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Nayele's cash confiscated by UK authorities
The UK’s Revenue and Customs confiscated cash belonging to Nayele Ametefe, the Ghanaian-Austrian woman who was jailed eight years and eight months for transporting 12 kilogrammes of cocaine into that country.
The HMRC confiscated $23,000 and £6,000 which were found on Ametefe at the time of her arrest at the Heathrow Airport.
In the UK, seizure of cash is made under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and under Section 19 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.
One may challenge the legality of any such seizure by sending a notice of claim to the HMRC or the Border Force or write to the HMRC or the Border Force asking for the return of one’s cash, even if they accept it was seized legally.
Following the action of Her Majesty Revenue and Customs (HMRC), the Isleworth Crown Court in Middlesex, London which had jailed Ametefe on January 6, had set July 6, 2015 to decide on whether the money should be confiscated.
The court could not hear the matter, however, because the cash had been already seized and kept by the HMRC.
Ametefe’s lawyer, James Scobie, QC said there was no need for the hearing once the HMRC had seized the cash.
Confiscation
He, however, did not explain the decision by the HMRC to keep the money without the hearing and also why he was not contesting the decision.
It is the prerogative of the security agencies to have the final say in respect of the confiscation of cash accruing from drugs.
In the UK, seizure of cash is made under the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 and under Section 19 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984.
One may challenge the legality of any such seizure by sending a notice of claim to the HMRC or the Border Force or write to the HMRC or the Border Force asking for the return of one’s cash, even if they accept it was seized legally.
The amount found in her possession and seized by the UK authorities when she was arrested was said to be her payment for carrying the cocaine to the UK.
Ametefe was arrested at the Heathrow Airport on November 10, 2014 after attempting to enter the UK with the cocaine in her hand luggage. The drugs had a street value of £1.9m.
She was subsequently charged with Class A drug trafficking and put before the Isleworth Crown Court in Middlesex, London.
Credit: GraphicOnline
Ametefe was arrested at the Heathrow Airport on November 10, 2014 after attempting to enter the UK with the cocaine in her hand luggage. The drugs had a street value of £1.9m.
She was subsequently charged with Class A drug trafficking and put before the Isleworth Crown Court in Middlesex, London.
Credit: GraphicOnline
