MERSEYSIDE Police have been given the right to seize the "ill-gotten gains" of a notorious master criminal, one month after his death.
A total of £25,000 was recovered from the Liverpool home of Tommy Comerford after his arrest in March this year on drug trafficking offences.
Although Comerford died before the case was settled, a claim was made by members of his family to have the money returned.
Now police have been granted a Forfeiture Order, under the terms of the Proceeds of Crime Act.
The order was made yesterday at Liverpool Magistrates Court, and followed an investigation by the Money Laundering Investigation Team.
Tommy Comerford, who was considered the Godfather of the Liverpool crime scene, died of liver cancer last month aged 70.
Members of his family had applied to have the money returned, but dropped their claim before the forfeiture hearing, and the court was invited to make a confiscation order in favour of Merseyside Police.
The Treasury will hold the cash, and Merseyside Police will have the option to apply for money for local initiatives.
Detective Chief Inspector Stephen Brougham, from the Force Crime Operations Unit said: "This case is an excellent example of Merseyside Police working with partner agencies to tackle crime which affects the lives of local people, using all available legislation .
"It is another example in which Merseyside Police are removing the ill-gotten gains of criminality from those who seek to benefit from it."
Comerford was one of the first Merseyside gangsters to establish an international drugs network and was sentenced to more than 34 years in jail during his criminal career.
