A man who was jailed for three years in 2004 for people smuggling has been ordered to pay more than a million pounds under the Proceeds of Crime Act – the largest confiscation order awarded following a police investigation in Kent.

The order was made against Alvin Chan, an interpreter aged 59, of Landale Gardens, Dartford, at Maidstone Crown Court on Monday 29 January by Judge Andrew Patience QC.

Pay up or be jailed
Chan has now served his three year prison sentence for smuggling three Chinese people into the UK. But if he fails to pay £1,008,658 he could be jailed for a further 10 years – and after that he would still be liable to pay up.

During his trial, Chan was subject to a High Court Restraining Order that froze assets valued at £1.3 million.

The order was obtained following an investigation by Kent Police’s organised crime unit. Officers from the force’s financial investigation unit made further inquiries into how Chan profited from his crime.

Criminal assets
In the current financial year, Kent Police has recovered more than £4 million in assets from criminals.

The government distributes a proportion of the money that is recovered for police forces to use to further policing and investigate crime.