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Tameside who
sold fake and unlicensed medicines must repay more than £14million
A Tameside man who sold fake and unlicensed
medicines has been ordered to repay more than £14million following a
financial investigation by the North West Regional Asset Recovery
Team (NWRART). Simon Hickman (03/08/1959), of Lily Lanes,
Ashton-under-Lyne, was jailed for 2 years in 2009, following a
criminal investigation by the Medicines and Healthcare products
Regulatory Agency (MHRA). He was convicted of 6 counts of selling
and supplying fake and unlicensed medicines and money laundering to
the value of £1.4 million. He was sentenced to a further 22 months
in prison in January 2011 for Contempt of Court after he tried to
obtain a passport by deception and for selling a property in breach
of a court restraint order. Working alongside investigators from
MHRA, the NWRART commenced an investigation into Hickman’s finances
with a view to identifying criminal assets. Extensive assets,
including his home, Range Rovers, luxury flats and cash, were
identified and restrained pending confiscation proceedings. Hickman
made his fortune by selling counterfeit erectile dysfunction tablets
and slimming aids that he purchased overseas. Investigators
discovered Hickman created dozens of bank accounts across the globe,
using them to launder cash totalling millions of pounds. Funds were
transferred into off shore accounts having been diverted through
more than 30 different bank accounts, some based in Malta, Holland
and the Cayman Islands. At Southwark Crown Court today, Friday 27
April 2012, Hickman was found to have benefited by £15,427,850.28
from his criminal enterprise. He was ordered to repay £14,407,850.28
within 6 months or face a further 10 years in prison and still
liable for the order. Detective Chief Inspector Neil Ashton, head of
the NWART, said:- "Hickman made a considerable personal
fortune by selling illegal pills to thousands of unsuspecting
victims He has been held to account thanks to a meticulous joint
investigation between the NWRART and MHRA. Owing to a thorough
partnership investigation, the MHRA and NWRART ensured Hickman lost
his liberty as well as his assets. This case sends out a clear
message to organised criminals that law enforcement agencies,
working in partnership, will continue to pursue those involved in
serious crime. To put this result into perspective, I think it is
fair to say that this one single confiscation order eclipses any
that have gone before and is higher than all confiscation orders
secured by NWRART collectively last year."
'Arts of Freedom' Music of
revolution from Poland
A special event has taken place in Liverpool
to celebrate Polish Constitution Day and offer people the
opportunity of a unique film screening. Merseyside Polonia
celebrated Constitution Day with a special event being held at the
Hope Street Hotel, Liverpool to give people an insight into Polish
history, culture and bring communities together. Merseyside Polonia
was set up in 2008 to strengthen bonds between Polish people and
local residents and encourage friendships between people of
different cultural backgrounds. It has been a huge success giving
people the opportunity to get to know Liverpool’s Polish community
better and enjoy Polish and international culture, films, food and
art. The event held on Monday, 30 April 2012, gave people the
opportunity to see a film screening of the Polish music documentary
'Beats of Freedom' as well as an exclusive short films
created by famous Polish directors, including Roman Polanski, which
have previously been rarely shown in the UK. The event was part of
an awareness campaign that students from Edge Hill University have
been working on as part of their Public Relations degree. Merseyside
Polonia founder, Gosia McKane, said:- "Liverpool music scene
is well known and I’m sure all Liverpool people are proud of it.
Through this event we want to share how Polish young musicians were
fighting the oppression of communism through music behind the Iron
Curtain." |
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Armed robbery at
a betting shop
MERSEYSIDE Police Detectives have released
CCTV images of 2 men they would like to speak with in connection
with an armed robbery at a betting shop in Waterloo on Sunday, 29
April 2012. Officers were called to the premises on Crosby Road
North following the incident which happened at around 6.15pm. 3 men,
with their faces covered, entered the shop and threatened staff with
a knife to hand over money. They left on foot with a quantity of
cash in the direction of Winstanley Road. It is thought that they
drove off in a red Astra. No-one was injured in the incident, but
staff were left shaken.
Detectives have launched an investigation and are
appealing to anyone with any information to come forward. They are
particularly keen to hear from anyone who may have seen three men
acting suspiciously in the area around the time of the incident, or
a red Astra parked nearby.
DI David Keegan said:- "We take incidents of
this nature very seriously and ask anyone with any information to
call us so we can take action against those responsible. We urge
members of the community who recognise the two men in the photos to
call us as we would like to speak to them in connection with the
incident. We would also appeal to those who may have seen anyone
acting suspiciously, either in the days preceding this incident or
shortly afterwards, to call us in case they have information that
could help this investigation."
Anyone with any information is asked to call the investigation team
on:- 0151 777 3807, or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on:- 0800 555
111.
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