Nigel Power QC represented Chuadry Ali in a contested three-week confiscation hearing in the Crown Court at Kingston-upon-Thames. Represented by other counsel at trial, Mr Ali had been convicted of smuggling very large amounts of gold jewellery from Dubai and selling it on without paying the VAT that was due upon it.

The prosecution alleged that Mr Ali had a large number of properties available for confiscation, a number of which were registered in other people's names or in respect of which deeds had been created to defeat the prosecution claims.

More than £3m worth of gold recovered from Mr Ali's premises were confiscated but the prosecution claims were not successful in relation to all of the properties and, significantly for Mr Ali, the prosecution claim of hidden assets was defeated leaving him with a manageable order to pay.

in this case Nigel Power QC was instructed by Katie McCreath of Frisby's solicitors.