A seaside holiday home believed to have been purchased with the proceeds of fraud and money laundering has been seized and recovered by the National Crime Agency as part of a civil recovery investigation under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
NCA officers in the Paramilitary Crime Task Force obtained a recovery order by consent in Belfast High Court over the static home, located in Ballyhalbert.
The owner, Naomi Lough, 29, from Newtownabbey, some of whose family are believed to be senior members of South East Antrim UDA, consented to the order. She is not alleged to be directly involved in the group and denied being involved in any unlawful conduct.
The order was granted on 7 March and the holiday home was recovered from the site by the NCA today (14 March).
Adam Ewart, Senior Manager in NCA investigations, said:
“Recovering this holiday home is an excellent result in our investigation into the source of funding used to purchase it and in our wider work to tackle and disrupt paramilitary crime groups.
“Civil recovery powers are a strong tool we can use to prevent those engaged in criminal activity from benefitting financially or materially from it.
“The NCA’s team of specialist financial investigators works to protect the public by interrupting illicit cash flows and preventing them from funding serious and organised crime.”
Detective Superintendent Avine Kelly from the Police Service of Northern Ireland’s Organised Crime Branch said:
“This is an excellent result for the Paramilitary Crime Task Force, and an example of how collective efforts can disrupt the activities of paramilitary groups.
“We, along with our PCTF partners, remain committed to tackling and disrupting the coercive control and criminal activities of those who seek to make their living from crime.
“I would encourage anyone with information, or concerns, about criminality in their local area to contact our officers on 101.”
Information can also be provided to Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at www.crimestoppers-uk.org