A man who could not account for large sums of cash found inside a property in Sittingbourne has been ordered to forfeit the money under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Ojars Latkovskis, 51 was ordered to forfeit £14,610 and to pay £1,000 in costs during the hearing at Maidstone Crown Court on Friday 2 September 2022.
Search at Queenborough business premises
On 25 September 2020, officers carried out a warrant at a business premises in Argent Way, Queenborough as part of an investigation into the alleged theft of vehicles.
Subsequently, officers also searched Mr Latkovskis’ home address in Sittingbourne where they found various sums of money.
Some was concealed in brown envelopes between children’s toys, some in bags under the beds. More than £8,000 was also found in a wardrobe.
Children’s pocket money
When asked about the money Mr Latkovskis claimed the cash included proceeds from the sale of cars and children’s pocket money.
The money was seized and financial investigators from Kent Police’s Serious Economic Crime Unit applied for it to be forfeited under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Hidden
DI Dave Godfrey said: ‘Whilst Mr Latkovskis was never charged with any criminal offences in relation to this case, he was unable to provide any verifiable evidence as to why he had such large sums of money hidden away at his house.
‘Our financial investigators regularly use the Proceeds of Crime Act to ensure money potentially earned through illegal means cannot be used to fund further criminal activity, and to reinforce the important message that crime does not pay.’