Two brothers who were convicted for their roles within a drug dealing network which made hundreds of thousands of pounds, have been ordered to repay their criminal earnings.

Mohammed Mydul Islam, 32, of Houghton Road, St Ives, was jailed for two-and-a-half years in November 2021 after a Cambridgeshire Constabulary investigation established he was selling cocaine across the county.

After examining his digital devices, officers found that his younger brother Sanwarul Islam was also involved in the operation, with Mohammed regularly depositing illicit money into Sanwarul’s bank accounts in an attempt to avoid detection.

Sanwarul, 25, also of Houghton Road, St Ives, was convicted in November 2021 of money laundering and sentenced to 12 months’ conditional discharge.

Following the initial police operation, specialist financial investigators from the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) looked into their bank accounts further.

They found that over a six-year period, more than £330,000 in cash was deposited into Mohammed’s bank account, despite returns to His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) indicating he had earned approximately £52,500 in the same time frame.

Further enquiries also found that Sanwarul had held more than £50,000 in his bank account for his brother.

Following a Peterborough Crown Court hearing on March 16, Mohammed was ordered to repay £313,892.90, comprising more than £240,000 held in his bank accounts and assets such as high value cars and watches. He must repay the amount in full within three months or serve a three-year prison sentence.

At the same court, a confiscation order was granted for Sanwarul for £51,830.30. He must repay the amount in full within two months or serve a six-month prison sentence.

Financial investigation manager Jemima Cholmondeley-Smith, from ERSOU, said: “Our dedicated financial investigators use specialist skills and tactics to understand how criminals attempt to hide their ill-gotten gains. We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure they are stripped of any illicitly earned money or assets.

"Despite the drugs seized during the initial investigation being worth £3,000, our enquiries were able to establish that the scale of the brothers’ criminality was much greater than it might have appeared. They will now need to repay the amount in full or potentially serve additional sentences.”

PC Luke Charlton, from Cambridgeshire Constabulary, said: “This result shows that dealing drugs does not pay in the end.  Drugs and drug related crime have a negative impact on our communities, and use of these dangerous substances can harm the health and safety of our residents. 

“I would encourage everyone to look out for common signs of drug dealing and let us know if you see anything suspicious."