East Lancashire men used drug money to buy £44k car (From Lancashire Telegraph)

East Lancashire men used drug money to buy £44k car

3:45pm Wednesday 16th January 2013 in News By Lisa Woodhouse, Assistant picture editor

TWO men who used drugs money to buy a £44,000 car and live a lavish lifestyle have been jailed for more than three years.

Mahmoud Jaber, 29, of Arncliffe Avenue, Accrington, and Waqqas Malik, 28, of Pringle Street, Blackburn, appeared at Preston Crown Court.

Jaber was jailed for 21 months and Malik was given 16 months. Both men pleaded guilty to two counts of money laundering.

Jaber was already serving a six-year prison sentence after he pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of heroin and crack cocaine in November 2010.

Following his sentence, Lancashire Constabulary began a financial investigation during which it was revealed that Jaber and Malik had purchased an Audi Quattro S5.

The £44,000 car, which was bought in April 2009, had later been traded in for a £30,000 BMW M3. This was seized from Jaber when he was arrested in July 2010.

Financial investigator Sandra Robinson said: “Jaber and Malik clearly lived a lavish lifestyle which enabled them to purchase high performance and expensive cars.

“Malik was complicit in laundering the money which ultimately had been made through Jaber’s drug dealing, bringing misery to members of the public – not only in Accrington but across Hyndburn.

“This case should demonstrate that people will not profit from crime in Lancashire. We will continue to do all we can to investigate the finances of people who we suspect may have obtained money illegally.”

Anyone with information or concerns about someone who is profiting from crime can contact police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.