A Radlett drugs baron-turned-supergrass who made nearly £58million from drug smuggling and money laundering, was ordered to hand over just £69,840 of his ill-gotten gains.
Michael Michael, 47, who lived a secret life behind the doors of his respectable Loom Lane home, headed a gang which brought £132million of cocaine and cannabis into the United Kingdom from France and Spain.
In December 2001, a court sentenced Michael to six years in jail, but he was released immediately after that hearing because he had already been in custody for more than three years waiting to be sentenced. Michael's sentence had been cut from 24 years because his evidence had led to the convictions of 34 members of his gang.
On Friday last week at Woolwich Crown Court, Judge Michael Carroll said: "The court does find he has benefited by way of drug trafficking offences to the figure of £57,902,483.58p.
"The asset figure available to the court is £69,840.96p, so I make a confiscation order in respect of that sum."
The judge also ruled that Michael's wife Lynn, 43, although she benefited by £36,500, only had to pay 1p because she had no assets. She worked as a drug mule and was one of those Michael shopped.
Following his arrest at his Radlett home in 1998, Michael admitted conspiracy to import cocaine and cannabis, money laundering and possession of a firearm. When police searched Michael's £750,000 house they found incriminating documents naming drug couriers, importers and money launderers.
Couriers working for Michael smuggled cash out of the country hidden in car spare wheels.
Underworld paymasters have put a price of £4million on the head of Michael, who lives abroad with his wife and two sons, aged nine and 11, under the witness protection programme.
January 22, 2003 11:30
Share