THIS is the face of a West Yorkshire drugs baron – stripped of his liberty and fortune.

Detectives have taken the unusual step of releasing details of their successful efforts to strip a number of dealers - including Nassar Mukhtar Ahmed, from Batley - of more than £1m of ill-gotten gains.

In the last year, specialist financial investigators from the Economic Crime Unit, part of the Force’s Crime Division, have gone through the finances of 14 convicted drugs criminals with a fine-toothed comb and, working with criminal justice partner agencies, secured confiscation orders worth £1,155,561 using the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

Now, in the run-up to National Drugs Week (May 19-23), police have highlighted this ongoing two-pronged attack on those involved in the illegal drugs trade.

Det Chief Supt Max Mclean, head of the force’s crime division, said: “Our message to those who think they can profit from crime in West Yorkshire and get away with it is clear. We will not only investigate your criminal activity and put you before the courts, we will also use the latest legislation to strip you of the money you’ve generated from those crimes.”

Once confiscation orders have been made, if criminals don’t pay up they can get an additional jail term – and the debt will still have to be paid.

Det Chief Supt Mclean added: “Our highly-trained financial investigators daily assess anyone charged with a crime where they have made a material benefit. Once the assessment has been made, the Crown Prosecution Service progresses the criminal proceedings and financial investigation through the courts.

“Financial investigators are located at every one of West Yorkshire Police’s Divisions to deprive criminals of their loot. The focus for the Criminal Justice Team in West Yorkshire is very clear: remove the profits from crime and hit criminals where it hurts most.”

Bryan Dent, Force Drugs Co-ordinator, said: “We want to demonstrate to the public that we are totally committed to attacking the wealth of those who profit from the trade in illegal drugs to make sure they do not have a financial base to carry on drug dealing in the future.

“We are always keen to hear from the public about any person who appears to have wealth and possessions without any apparent legal means of funding this lifestyle, and who they suspect may be involved in the drugs trade. As the cases we have highlighted here demonstrate, we have the powers and we are prepared to use them.”

Crimestoppers is on 0800 555 111.