Agency freezes £300,000 of assets

Assets worth £300,000 were frozen

The Assets Recovery Agency has been given permission to freeze £300,000 of assets from a Portadown couple.

The assets, including a house, a motor home, and almost £92,000 in shares and investments, were held by Walter and Finulla Black of Birches Road.

The agency alleged in court that while some of them were derived from legitimate sources at least £100,000 worth were from criminal activities.

These included manufacturing alcohol and counterfeiting currency, it said.

The agency alleged that Walter Black was involved in those activities.

It said while his wife had not committed any of the crimes she held some of the assets that were derived from the proceeds of them.

The case was referred to the agency by the police after a gun, ammunition, colour photocopier, counterfeit currency and an alcohol still were allegedly found in Mr Black's home in 2001.

The agency was granted an interim receiving order at the High Court in Belfast.

The court was told that Mr Black is associated with the Loyalist Volunteer Force.