More than £300k worth of gold and Tiffany diamond rings formerly owned by criminals will go under the hammer this week.
A huge range of seized 22ct gold bangles, seized by the National Crime Agency from criminals will go under the hammer with Wilsons Auctions in September. Worth over £300k and split over 35 lots, the quantity of gold will be sold unreserved, meaning it will go to the highest bidder of the auction.
The gold bangles were seized from a supposed trader who was couriering them between the UK and Dubai. Investigators from the National Crime Agency found that the trader was wrongly taking advantage of customs procedures and had done so on several previous occasions, meaning his business was a sham.
READ MORE: Jet2 flight to Manchester Airport forced to divert after 'serious medical situation'
After a lengthy legal battle which went to an appeal, the courts ordered the forfeiture of the gold under the Proceeds of Crime Act. Other lots include a A platinum emerald-cut emerald cocktail ring with an estimated retail value of £250,000, a Tiffany & Co. signed platinum baguette-cut Sapphire and brilliant-cut diamond Pendant Necklace.
Tiffany & Co diamond rings, Louis Vuitton bags, Rolex watches and a Nissan Gt-r will also be available for purchase.
Wilsons Auctions’ Government Contracts Manager, Mark Woods said: “We are proud to facilitate auctions on behalf of our government and law enforcement agency clients. We play an important role in realising a large quantity of assets on behalf of these clients and in recent years, these auctions have seen us responsible in returning £130 million back into the public purse.”
Presented in a timed online format, the luxury auction will open bidding at 2pm GMT on Wednesday, September 28. Registered bidders will have a window of 48 hours to bid online before the auction begins to timeout from 11am GMT on Friday, September 30.
Interested bidders are recommended to register for this auction 24 hours prior to the auction start time. For additional information contact allanmckenzie@wilsonsauctions.com.
READ NEXT:
Woman killed boyfriend then said he'd been stabbed by 'some fella in town'
Pub 'appalled' to learn paedophile chef stashed vile child abuse images
Man found dead on train tracks at Merseyside station
Man in his 60s attacked outside Liverpool Sainsbury's store
19 things that ruined your day if you were a Merseyside teen in the Noughties
