Police have been given time to determine whether thousands of pounds seized from a man stopped on the M6 near Shap is linked to criminal conduct.
Officers were on patrol in a marked vehicle at around 1.30pm last Friday, April 22, when they became aware of a Mercedes CLK travelling south between junctions 39 and 40 in the Eden Valley.
A financial investigator told Carlisle Magistrates’ Court today: “Upon checking this on the police national computer system the vehicle showed it had no road tax and should have been off the road.”
It was stopped at Junction 39 close to Shap. Police approached the Mercedes and asked the driver to accompany them to their own vehicle. The 48-year-old driver stated he had been to Carlisle for a couple of days to visit relatives, although the investigator told magistrates intelligence had since come to light which cast doubt on that claim.
The man either couldn’t or wouldn’t supply information to substantiate his story. He appeared reluctant to answer questions, his demeanour was agitated and he appeared nervous. Officers asked the man if there was anything inside his vehicle and he replied “no”.
During a search, four bundles of cash of around £4,000 were found in the glove box. A further estimated sum of £500 had been concealed in the pocket of a sun visor.
“He was asked about this cash by officers. He said it was from a roofing job he had done in the Morecambe area for a female,” said the police investigator. “He couldn’t provide details of when and where the work had been done. He was asked if he had documents in relation to this. He said ‘no’.”
The man had given a Kendal address to police although the court heard there was intelligence to link him with Morecambe.
“Due to the the circumstances of this cash and a lack of explanation for this amount, I’m requesting permission to detain the cash so I can investigate and find the true origin of it,” the investigator added.
Enquiries would focus on forensic checks, employment records and the identification of any associates. “To prove or disprove whether this cash is from criminal conduct,” stated the investigator.
Magistrates were satisfied there were reasonable grounds to warrant detention of the cash, and approved the application.
