Nearly £45,000 seized from a drugs gang that included members of a Wisbech family is to be forfeited by law

Six men and three women were jailed for a total of 68 years in 2013 for their roles in the drugs ring which involved the supply of heroin across Cambridgeshire, Lincolnshire, Norfolk, London and West Yorkshire.

Now a court has ruled that £44,949 recovered during the operation should be forfeited under the Proceeds Of Crime Act after an investigation by the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU).

The money was seized from addresses in Wisbech, Spalding and Crowland, Downham Market and Heckmondwike in West Yorkshire.

The forfeiture order was made at Norwich Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (28 October) on the grounds that the cash seized represented the proceeds of crime or was intended to be used in future crime.

Detective Chief Inspector Chris Balmer, from ERSOU Regional Asset Recovery Team, said: “The message to take from this is simple. Crime doesn’t pay when ERSOU are on your case. Even if you think you’ve made a profit, and even if you try to hide it, we will come and take it from you.

“This money will go to pay for the fight against crime in the Eastern region and beyond, and ERSOU officers will work tirelessly to add to it by stripping assets from criminals who bring misery to decent people everywhere.”

Breakdown of sentences (addresses correct at time of sentence):

David Higginson, 69, of Begdale Road, Wisbech – 12 years

Denise Higginson, 61, of Begdale Road – six years

Sarah Jane Higginson, 39, of Silt Road, Nordelph, near Downham Market - six-and-a-half years

Paul Ward, 46, of Silt Road, Nordelph, near Downham Market - six-and-a-half years

Paul Higginson, 41, of Begdale Road, Wisbech – 10 years eight months

Kabir Hussain, 36, of Artillery Street, Heckmondwicke, West Yorkshire – 12 years

Megan Parr, 39, of Ellen Crescent, Spalding – two years

Darren Driscoll, 40, of Church Lane, Crowland – eight-and-a-half years

Mohammed Tariq, 49 – four years