Detectives swoop to recover £21m from crooks' illegal gains

• Propery and cars belonging to George Buchanan

It emerged today that a hit list of properties – many worth up to 300,000 and belonging to drug dealers and gangsters – has been drawn up across the city.

It comes as police focus their efforts on bringing down the estimated 35 organised crime gangs operating in Edinburgh.

The crackdown has led to financial restraining orders being slapped on millions of pounds worth of property, land, business premises, vehicles, cash and bank accounts belonging to gang members.

Designer watches and jewellery, which are often used as portable collateral in the criminal world, have also been identified for confiscation under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

The 21m total was identified by police between April and December as part of their strategy of "hitting criminals in the pocket".

Detective Chief Superintendent Malcolm Graham, head of the force's CID division, said: "Whenever we are targeting organised crime groups we have a financial investigation running alongside. These groups account for the majority of the high-value assets identified for seizure.

"We are going after the most serious criminals with the aim of putting them in jail, but we also want to ensure that they have nothing to come back to.

"The vast majority of the assets placed under financial restraining orders are properties, but we will work to ensure any assets acquired through criminal means are taken away."

The restraining orders prevent the assets being sold while prosecutors from the Crown Office pursue cases through the courts.

Meanwhile, forensic accountants are working to hunt down money-laundering operations, with criminals running "legitimate" businesses targeted as part of the approach.

Some of the criminals targeted have also placed properties or other assets in the names of family or associates, and these proxies could be compelled in court to prove they made the purchases.

A Crown Office spokesman said: "It is our duty to do all we can to ensure that crime doesn't pay. The National Casework Division and Civil Recovery Unit are dedicated and determined to pursue the funds and assets of those who seek to benefit from crime.

"We will continue to work with law enforcement agencies to investigate and recover cash and assets so that these can be put to good use in our communities."

A report by the Scottish Crime and Drug Enforcement Agency last year pinpointed 35 serious organised crime gangs active in the Lothian and Borders area.

Six of these were included in the top 20 gangs, out of 367 identified nationally, which were judged to pose the greatest threat.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "The Proceeds of Crime Act is a valuable tool against crime at all levels. We support the police and the Crown Office in using the legislation to get at the crooks."

Paying the penalty

MORE than 3 million in cash and assets, including houses and luxury cars, has already been seized from criminals in the Lothians in the last six years. Bank accounts, insurance policies and property are items that have been confiscated. Among those who have been targeted are:

Sean McGovern

The gang leader who carried out a shooting at The Gauntlet Bar in Broomhouse was ordered to hand over more than 20,000 in crime profits held in his bank account.

McGovern, 25, from Gracemount, pictured below, was jailed for 17 years following an undercover police operation against his drug network.

The Civil Recovery Unit had originally identified a jet ski, a Range Rover and designer clothes among McGovern's assets that they hoped to confiscate.

Mark Halliday

Investigators believe Halliday, 29, still has substantial assets from leading one of the Capital's biggest cocaine-dealing gangs after being jailed for seven years last summer.

He lived in Trinity, drove a Mercedes and gave extravagant gifts, such as a car and holidays in the Maldives, to his girlfriend.

He was caught following an operation against cocaine dealers, which netted 300,000, and is being pursued under proceeds-of-crime laws.

George 'Dode' Buchanan

The convicted drug dealer became the first criminal in Scotland to be made bankrupt after failing to pay the cost of bringing him to court.

Buchanan, pictured right, was pursued by the Crown for two years, as it sought to seize his fleet of expensive cars and Brunstane home, which it says were the profits of crime.

After winning the fight for 200,000, prosecutors hit the 52-year-old with a 45,000 bill for the legal battle, which he failed to pay.