Sheffield gang member avoids jail after police seize £100k from his home

Karl Ray, 32, of Thornborough Road, was sentenced to 14 months in prison, suspended for 18 months, at Sheffield Crown Court last week (November 29) after pleading guilty to concealing criminal property.

In July 2017, officers from Proactive CID carried out a warrant at Ray’s home in the Heeley area of Sheffield- based on intelligence that he was linked to organised crime.T/DI Andrew Shields said: “Once inside the property, officers found Ray pretending to be asleep in one of the bedrooms.

“Extensive searches led to the team seizing £98,553 from hiding places throughout his house, a huge chunk of the money was concealed in a carrier bag, hidden in a wardrobe.“When the money was forensically tested it was found to be covered in traces of diamorphine, more commonly known as heroin.“This was a huge amount of cash, being deliberately concealed and stored by Ray. There is no doubt that by seizing it, my officers have disrupted the activities of a highly organised criminal operation.“We are carrying out this type of proactive work every single day of the year and this should serve as a message to those indulging in criminality that we are watching and we are taking action.”A Proceeds of Crime Investigation is ongoing in relation to the confiscation of the money seized, with a further hearing date to be set.