Dealer who made thousands 'peddling misery' will only pay back fraction of ill-gotten gains

A drug dealer who made tens of thousands of pounds “peddling the misery of drugs in the streets of Nottingham” has been ordered to pay back just a fraction of what he made. A Proceeds of Crime Act hearing at Nottingham Crown Court heard how Husnain Amin, who was jailed with his older brother Hassan Amjid last year, profited to the tune of £32,252.58 from their illicit joint enterprise.

But the only cash and assets the 23-year-old has is £1,285 which is already in the possession of the police. As such, Judge James Sampson this week told him: “That money is with the authorities but in any event I am going to give you three months to pay that and it is seven days (custody) in default (if you do not) but that’s academic.”

The Proceeds of Crime Act (or POCA) allows the police to apply for cash to be seized from criminals who have made their money from ill-gotten gains. It is typically used after drug dealers have been sentenced and can see criminals forced to sell properties, cars or jewellery that belong to them to pay the cash back.

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The money that is seized is usually split 50-50 between the police and the Government and is often used to fund community projects. Importantly, if a convicted criminal comes into money later in life that he or she does not currently have, police can still apply to have that seized.

At their sentencing hearing in October, Rawaid Javed, prosecuting, said drugs were seized from the Coleridge Street home the two defendants shared with their family on three separate occasions. He said on May 21, 2021, police spotted Amjid with two suspected customers and believed a deal was taking place so went to arrest him but he ran away.

The prosecutor said: “During the pursuit, the defendant discarded items into a flower pot as he ran away but other officers were able to arrest him and in the flower pot were a number of wraps of both white and brown powder along with a Samsung phone. The bedroom he shared with his brother was searched and further wraps, digital scales and £1,550 in cash was recovered. The total value of the drugs was estimated to be £7,500.”

Mr Javed said on November 23, 2021, officers watched Amjid approach two customers and leave on a bike before returning to them and was arrested. He said on that occasion his brother emerged from their house with a JD Sports bag and went down Norton Street and was then found “hiding in bushes” in Independent Street, Radford.

The prosecutor said in the bag were dealer bags, digital scale and cannabis and a second search of their bedroom saw up to £26,950 of class A drugs and £1,680 of cannabis seized. Mr Javed said the final offence took place on November 6, 2023, almost two years later when officers looking for Amjid went to his home and found Amin there with drug paraphernalia and cannabis. He said: “In total, across the three offences, £2,570 in cash and 660g of class A drugs were recovered."

Amjid, 25, pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine and cannabis. He was jailed for four years and nine months. Amin pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply heroin, crack cocaine and cannabis and was sent to prison for three years and two months.

Jailing the pair at Nottingham Crown Court , Judge James Sampson said: “Class A drugs cause crime, they blight lives and destroy communities and both of you were peddling this misery on the streets of Nottingham. You have to take responsibility for your actions and accept the consequences.

"Mr Amjid, it is obvious you were a busy dealer looking to make easy money to pay off a debt.” Amjid’s POCA hearing will take place at a future date.