A Confiscation Order has been granted against a Cookstown man at Dungannon Crown Court on Tuesday, 16th May.

The 28-year-old has been ordered to pay £152,673.45 in favour of the Police Service of Northern Ireland as a result of the proceeds of crime investigation.

On 8th October 2020, police carried out a search of a property in the Cookstown area.

Searches uncovered drug-related paraphernalia and a quantity of suspected Class A controlled drugs.

Other high-value items, including criminal property and a large sum of cash were also seized by officers in additional searches.

Following his arrest for drug-related offences, he was later sentenced in June 2022 to one year and nine months in prison, and two years and three months on licence. He is also subject to a Serious Crime Prevention Order.

Detective Chief Inspector Ian Wilson of the Police Service’s Economic Crime Unit said: “This is an excellent result and an example of how a drugs investigation and confiscation of a significant amount of money and criminal property which can hugely disrupt the criminal lifestyle of organised crime.

“Anyone with any concerns about drugs or other suspected criminality in their local area should contact Police on 101. You can also contact Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or online at http://crimestoppers-uk.org”