Almost £800,000 in criminal funds has been confiscated in Jersey from a major drug trafficker who supplied cannabis worth over £9.3 million.
The money came from British citizen Eitan Benzur who, between 2010 and 2014, conspired to supply 8.5 tonnes of cannabis.
He laundered the criminal proceeds by concealing substantial amounts of cash in safety deposit boxes at his home, or transferring money abroad.
Benzur fled to Israel while on bail and remained there for five years before being extradited to the UK in 2020.
In 2021, he admitted concealing and transferring criminal property, possessing a false passport and conspiracy to supply a controlled drug.
Benzur was subsequently jailed for nine years by Bristol Crown Court.
The court found that he had made almost £800,000 from his crimes, and identified Benzur’s portfolio in Jersey as an asset to be seized.
Half of the almost £800,000 was sent to the UK Home Office last month, while the other £397,000 will stay in Jersey to help tackle crime through the Criminal Offences Confiscation Fund.
Jersey’s Attorney General Mark Temple KC said: “This case yet again demonstrates Jersey’s ongoing commitment to assisting its overseas partners to ensure that criminals are denied the benefit of their criminal conduct.”
Adrian Foster, Chief Crown Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service Proceeds of Crime Division, said: “Our international relationships and partnership working are key to ensuring that criminals cannot benefit from their criminal activities.
“Thanks to our joint contribution Eitan Benzur has been stripped of his ill-gotten gains, which have been shared between our jurisdictions to prevent future economic crime.”