More than £1m of assets seized at gated mansion of 'criminal concierge'
More than £1m in cash, high-value watches and other assets were seized by police at a mansion in Merseyside.
Officers raided the gated house of an EncroChat money launderer known as a "criminal concierge" in October 2022. It came as police carried out three simultaneous warrants in Merseyside, including at Cleveley Cottage in Allerton, the home address of Anthony Kane.
Kane, 43, used the EncroChat handles 'Swiftray' and 'Dual-time' to communicate with a number of criminal heavyweights on the encrypted messaging platform, the ECHO reports. He was involved in the illicit trading of high value watches and vehicles with criminals, committing a wide range of offences all for his own gain.
This included the use of several sham companies to enable his criminal associates involved in high level drug trafficking to disguise their true sources of income. But Kane's activity was being monitored by a specialist Merseyside Police team focusing on proceeds of crime.
The police's work culminated in October 2022 when the unit carried out three simultaneous warrants at addresses within Merseyside, including at his home address of Cleveley Cottage in Allerton. New drone and bodycam footage released to the ECHO by Merseyside Police shows the force entering through the gated mansion of the house.
After smashing through the front window and door, officers arrested Kane inside. Searches of the house and garage led to the seizures of £254,990 in cash and 16 watches with an estimated value of £950,000, including a Richard Mille limited edition PSG watch worth around £350,000. Over £150,000 worth of assets, including vehicles, jewellery, artwork, and designer clothing was also recovered.
Kane became the focus on the operation in December 2021,