Bryan Voce, aged 36 and now of Sutton Weaver, Runcorn, was jailed for three and a half years in November 2008 for setting up and running a cannabis cultivation operation at New House Farm, Muckleton, near Shawbury from 2002 to 2007.

At Shrewsbury Crown Court on Thursday (2 December), West Mercia Police obtained a Confiscation Order under the Proceeds of Crime Act against Voce. His benefit from his criminal conduct was declared at just under £450,0001 and a confiscation order was made for almost £280,0002.

The full amount has now been paid to Her Majesty’s Court Service by the defendant’s solicitors with the money going to HM Treasury, with a proportion being returned to West Mercia Police and the Crown Prosecution Service.

Mr Stuart Duddell of West Mercia Police’s Economic Crime Unit said: “When we became aware of Voce’s criminal activities and his luxury lifestyle gained from the proceeds of his drug trafficking, we were determined to do all we could to strip him of his assets.

“It has taken more than three years, but the hard work of our officers and our colleagues at the Crown Prosecution Service has meant we have taken hundreds of thousands of pounds from Voce.

“In December 2009, despite his attempts to hide them from us, we became aware that while Voce had been awaiting sentence in 2008, he had purchased a number of high-value assets, including a Range Rover, a speedboat and a static holiday home. We will continue to demonstrate to our communities that we will do all we can to strip criminals of their ill-gotten gains.

“The assets were identified and, using powers under the Proceeds of Crime Act, we made sure Voce could not benefit or make profit from these items, along with further assets purchased whilst the defendant was serving his prison sentence, including an Audi Q7 luxury 4×4.”