Better Manchester Police have been surprised to find the stash of strong gold bars in baggage at Manchester Airport – the proceeds of criminals’ actions.
GMP has been granted its largest-ever forfeiture order for gold bars (Picture: GMP)
A UK police power has been granted its largest-ever gold bar forfeiture order – after the dazzling £1.8m ingot haul was discovered hidden in a person’s airport hand baggage. In a scene that might have graced a Hollywood heist film, surprised officers have been shocked when opening the person’s hand baggage at Manchester Airport in Could 2025 and discovering the massive 5 gold bars inside.
Manchester Magistrates’ Courtroom heard on Thursday this week how the bars weighed greater than 15kg – the burden of 15 grocery store luggage of sugar. Now Better Manchester Police (GMP) have been granted a forfeiture order in favour of GMP, totalling £1.81m for the worth of the gold bars – the highest-value listed belongings forfeiture order ever awarded to the power.
GMP mentioned: “Because of this, 50% of the recovered worth will now be directed into our Asset Restoration Incentivisation Scheme (ARIS).
“Cash seized and distributed through ARIS is being invested into communities throughout Better Manchester. This contains charities, neighborhood teams and extra.”
It comes after the identical power, in November 2025, found seven gold bars price £700,000 in a passenger’s automobile on the similar airport – with an additional £1m in gold and jewelry later discovered of their baggage.
Organised legal gangs – many run by international crooks – use gold as a common approach to condense their large, nefariously-obtained wealth, and take it out and in of the UK with out leaving a digital path.
Manchester magistrates this week heard how final Could officers working on the airport stopped a person discovered to be carrying 5 gold bars weighing greater than 15kg in his hand baggage as he ready to fly overseas.
This was subsequently seized utilising powers underneath the Proceeds of Crime Act, as officers believed the gold was a part of suspected criminality. No legal costs have been introduced.
“Criminals constantly adapt their strategies, and so should we. By concentrating on the motion of illicit wealth at each stage, we’re dismantling the monetary networks that enable organised crime to thrive.
“Our message is obvious: regardless of the type and wherever it’s hid, we are going to discover it, we are going to seize it, and we are going to make sure that crime doesn’t pay.”
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