Revealed: West Midlands Police seize £2m from criminals in less than a year

The cash has been paid back under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA), which gives police forces the power to seize assets or cash from crooks that is believed to have been accrued through criminality.

West Midlands Police and the Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU) have taken a tough stance to recoup the funds - with those who don't pay facing extended jail terms.

Between the start of April and December last year a total of £1,929,195 was handed back by 96 offenders after crime profits were pursued by the force.

The money clawed back through confiscation or secured through agreeing its forfeiture is ploughed into the force's Active Citizens Fund and crime prevention and community projects.

In September, a jailed crime boss who helped spring Black Country drugs kingpin John Anslow from a prison van was told to pay back £1.3 million made from his criminal empire.

Former nightclub owner Stuart Reid, aged 54, helped mastermind Anslow's audacious escape, which triggered an 16-month international manhunt for the Tipton fugitive, who was once Britain's most wanted man.

Another of those stripped of crime cash is Birmingham man Ashley Nathaniel Wilkin who officers initially stopped for a minor traffic offence - but who was later found to be running a drugs network.

He was stopped by police in Court Lane, Erdington, and a search of his Mercedes revealed a wrap of cocaine; further searches of his home in nearby Anstey Field uncovered £12,500 of cocaine.

The 30-year-old was jailed for three-and-a-half years and a POCA investigation concluded in October last year when a judge ordered him to pay back £109,000.

Other examples have included a Vietnamese cannabis grower forced to hand back more than £18,000 and a man who stole money from gambling machines having to return £42,000.

In August, a drug dealer who was likened to The Wire's notorious Stringer Bell was ordered to pay back almost £40,000 of ill-gotten gains.

Zahir Hussain was jailed for six years and three months after running a crack cocaine and heroin operation.

Last month, a dealer who had more than £500,000 in his 'drugs laboratory' Wolverhampton home was sentenced to 18 years in jail.

Drugs were found in almost every room of the 23-year-old's house when it was raided by armed police.

A Proceeds of Crime hearing is planned for May.

DS Paddy Gillece, from Force CID economic crime unit, said: "Just because a criminal has been sentenced, it does not mean it's the end of our investigation.

"We will always seek to prevent criminals benefitting from ill-gotten gains and look to claw back their 'dirty money' through the courts.

"By taking away the profits we can break the cycle of criminal behaviour and those who don't pay back the money can face extra time behind bars.

"The money we have recovered already should serve as a stark reminder that crime doesn't pay."

West Midlands Police & Crime Commissioner David Jamieson said: "There's a real sense of justice with the Active Citizens Fund: it sees ill-gotten gains stripped from criminals and then used for good in our communities.

"The seizure of almost £2 million is an excellent result by West Midlands Police and that money will transform neighbourhoods.

"From after-school sports clubs to computer classes and more, this dirty money will be used to clean up communities."