Sunderland drug dealer Jahangir Bararjani has £48,500 Range Rover seized as he is ordered to pay back more than £300,000

Jahangir Bararjani was sentenced at Newcastle Crown Court in April last year, when a financial investigation into his illicit empire was launched.

The court heard officers from Northumbria Police had been carrying out enquiries at Barajani’s address in Meadow Street, East Rainton, when they came across a shoe box which contained a quantity of the Class A drug, believed to have a street value of up to £22,000, as well as scales, bags and other paraphernalia.

Believing he was involved in the illegal supply of drugs, they arrested him and seized a number of items – along with a Range Rover worth £48,500 – under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Detailed investigation

When the 38-year-old was later convicted, financial detectives compiled a detailed investigation, which was then put before the courts, citing evidence gathered from Bararjani’s devices which revealed he had earned more than £290,000 from his illegal activity.

That case was brought before a judge in January, who issued a Confiscation Order confirming the total benefit from his criminal conduct to be £313,832. The judge also ordered the immediate sale of Bararjani’s only remaining asset – the seized Range Rover.

The order will remain in place until the debt is paid in full, meaning any future earnings or assets will be taken by the courts.

Following the hearing, Detective Chief Inspector Chris Riley, who runs the Force’s financial Investigation unit, praised the team’s thorough work, and their ongoing commitment to tackling serious and organised crime: “A huge part of dismantling organised crime groups is to take away their precious assets, which is what our financial investigators do so well,” he said.

“Thanks to the hard work carried out by our colleagues from CID, who uncovered evidence of Bararjani’s drug dealing, including a number of high value seizures, he was subsequently jailed.

‘We will continue to pursue offenders after they’ve been convicted’

The investigation into Bararjani’s finances had been exhaustive: “Our skilled investigators were able to comb though his financial records, telecoms data and a whole host of other evidence which they were then able to present before the courts showing that Bararjani has made a considerable amount of money from his illegal and shameful dealings.

“It is only right that we continue to go after criminals and strip them of every penny a life of crime has afforded them – it is not right that those who break the law are able to live in big houses or drive luxury cars purchased with ill-gotten gains,” said DCI Riley.

“As part of Operation Sentinel, we will continue to pursue offenders after they’ve been convicted to make sure they are stripped of any assets their criminal antics have enabled them to acquire, under the Proceeds of Crime Act.”

Members of the public can report any suspicious activity or behaviour to us using the ‘Tell us Something’ page on the force website.

Alternatively, you can report anonymously to independent charity Crimestoppers by calling 0800 555 111 or via their website.