LONDON: The National Crime Agency (NCA) has secured three Unexplained Wealth Orders (UWO) as part of a major investigation into London property linked to a politically exposed person believed to be involved in serious crime in a foreign country.A spokesman of the NCA told The News that the UWOs, which were obtained at the High Court last week, are for three residential properties in prime locations – originally bought for more than £80m (approx Rs15.21 billion) and held by offshore companies.The NCA investigators are looking into the funds used to purchase the properties by a PEP and who is from the Non-European Economic Area (NEEA) and not a British national. The court has also granted Interim Freezing Orders to the NCA which means that the properties cannot be sold, transferred or dissipated while the investigation continues.Andy Lewis, Head of Asset Denial at the NCA, said: “This is the second time the NCA has successfully secured UWOs since the new legislation was enacted. They are a powerful tool in being able to investigate illicit finance flowing into the UK and discourage it happening in the first place. The individuals behind these offshore companies now have to explain how the three properties were obtained. The NCA will not shy away from complex and detailed investigations against high profile individuals and professional enablers.”Graeme Biggar, Director General of the National Economic Crime Centre said: “The purchase of prime property in London is a tactic used to launder money and we will use all the powers available to us to target those who try to do this.“A priority for the NECC is to ensure we explore every opportunity to deny assets linked to illicit finance. Our aim is to prevent misuse of the UK’s financial structures which undermines the integrity of the UK’s economy and institutions.”As part of a separate case in February 2018, the National Crime Agency obtained UWOs against two London properties believed to belong to jailed Azerbaijani banker Jahangir Hajiyev and his wife Zamira Hajiyeva.The NCA secured UNWO’s against three properties as details of the properties and the spending spree of an Ajerbaijani family were laid bare in public on Tuesday after a tranche of documents was released to media by a London High Court judge.It emerged that Mrs Hajiyeva, the wife of jailed Azerbaijani banker Jahangir Hajiyev, 57, blew £600,000 in a single day during a decade-long spending spree as she splashed out on some of the world’s most expensive brands at the Harrod’s shopping centre.She spent £5.75 million at jewellers Boucheron and Cartier, and paid six-figure sums shopping for fashion brands including Dennis Basso, Celine, Fendi and Christian Dior.The NCA wants to know whether the couple could afford to buy an £11.5 million Knightsbridge house a few minutes’ walk from Harrods and a £10.5 million golf club in Ascot, Berkshire.Two Unexplained Wealth Orders (UWOs) were granted against mother-of-three Mrs Hajiyeva a few months ago while a judge found she spent more than £16 million in the luxury department store between September 2006 and June 2016.The court released 107 pages of receipts from Harrods. The receipts show that Zamira Hajiyeva made payments of £16,309,077.87 from 2006 to 2016. Among other things, she bought £24,000 worth of tea and coffee spending £10,000 on fruit and veg, and £32,000 on Godiva chocolates. She splashed out £4.9m on Boucheron and Cartier jewellery and £300,000 on French couture label Celine. A further £251,000 was spent in the famous toy department and tens of thousands on Disney princess experiences at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique. Zamira Hajiyeva spent £3.5m on Boucheron jewellery and £1.4m on Cartier in Harrods.
from The News International - National http://bit.ly/2EFqrq4
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