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Ill Gotten Gains - Episode Guide

Season 1

Episode 1

Episode: 1x01 | Airdate: Nov 21, 2016

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We watch as the story of one of Britain's largest ever drug trafficking seizure unfolds. Golem, a family yacht, was swooped on in Dover by the Border Force, and two men arrested as cocaine with an estimated street value of £120 million was found stashed aboard.

The National Crime Agency charged and convicted the men, who were later sentenced to more than 34 years, and we watch as the boat is sold under the hammer for £96,000 at a Proceeds of Crime auction. Today's episode also follows a live raid with South Wales Regional Organised Crime Unit as they arrest a drug king pin and seize his high-value assets. But Proceeds of Crime isn't just about drug dealers and trafficking - it also combats white collar crime. We follow the case of Dean Ahmed, who tried to get away with a massive benefit fraud.

Episode 2

Episode: 1x02 | Airdate: Nov 22, 2016

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Another boat goes up for auction but this time it's the Albernina, which was used to traffic a deadly cargo of automatic weapons into the UK. The National Crime Agency had a tip off from Kent Police that a local crime gang were acting suspiciously. Covert officers immediately began a surveillance operation, but little did they know that right in front of their eyes the crime gang would audaciously attempt to sail £100,000 worth of guns imported from Eastern Europe into UK waters. Later we watch as Kirk Claus, one of the UK's biggest second-hand dodgy car dealers, gets his final comeuppance as he is ordered to pay back £6 million he cheated out of customers by selling faulty cars. One of his victims talks about their ordeal and we also see how proceeds of crime has helped fund a Manchester youth club.

Episode 3

Episode: 1x03 | Airdate: Nov 23, 2016

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Elite officers from the West Midlands Asset Recovery team raid the home of a man whom they suspect has been involved in mortgage fraud. We also watch how a fraudster, who was living in a mansion and hiding a cannabis farm in a secret den behind a false wall, has his proceeds of crime seized and valued for auction. A boat that was involved in smuggling illegal immigrants is auctioned off at a Proceeds of Crime sale, and a man is jailed for fraud after selling fake car insurance to more than 600 unsuspecting victims. Today's programme also visits Lylac Ridge farm in Wales, which helps disadvantaged children and adults and has benefitted from funding through Proceeds of Crime.

Episode 4

Episode: 1x04 | Airdate: Nov 24, 2016

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In today's episode two heavyweight drug dealers are forced to part with their high value assets. We also discover how financial investigators catch one of the UK's biggest fraudsters for failing to pay HMRC the tax they were due. We also see how the Police can seize anything they believe has been bought with Ill Gotten Gains, even the paintings off the walls of a house - as a drug dealer has works of art removed from his property and sold at auction to raise money for the public purse. We also watch as a Proceeds of Crime order helps bring down a local rogue trader and money is returned to the victims, and how a local community project in Wales was saved from being shut down by funds raised through Proceeds of Crime.

Episode 5

Episode: 1x05 | Airdate: Nov 25, 2016

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Today's episode highlights the work of one clever con-woman, Claire Miller. She conned an estimated 17,000 men into parting with money to join an escort agency she claimed to have set up. Police decided to seize her large collection of shoes and handbags from brands such as Chanel, Louboutin and Jimmy Choo, and sell them all off at a Proceeds of Crime auction.

The programme also looks at the case of love rat Matthew Samuels, who conned five women out of their savings whilst pretending to be interested in romancing them. A Proceeds of Crime investigation by West Murcia Police discovered that he spent the money he had conned on buying expensive cars, and subsequently they were all auctioned off and the proceeds given back to his victims.

We also see how Chesterfield Canal Trust has benefitted from criminals' money, receiving £20,000 to build a new narrow boat. They had already received funding to regenerate their local canal and now have a new boat which is available for pleasure trips and is a positive use of money seized back from criminals.

Season 2

Episode 1

Episode: 2x01 | Airdate: May 14, 2018

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This episode follows the City of London Police from the outset of a proceeds-of-crime investigation, hot on the trail of an international fraudster. And one of the largest criminal enterprises ever in Britain is chased and taken down by Border Force and the navy, and the ship they used is auctioned off to the highest bidder.

Episode 2

Episode: 2x02 | Airdate: May 15, 2018

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Police in Derbyshire target a drug dealer and look to seize all the money he has been making illegally. The programme also follows the vital operation at sea that Border Force launched to find a fishing boat with an illegal cargo.

Episode 3

Episode: 2x03 | Airdate: May 16, 2018

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Merseyside police hunt down ill-gotten gains in an affluent home, and one of the country's most successful fraudsters has one of his treasured possessions seized and sold at auction.

Episode 4

Episode: 2x04 | Airdate: May 17, 2018

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Police in Merseyside execute multiple raids on properties across the Liverpool area searching for ill-gotten gains. The programme also finds out about a crime that lead to a sailing yacht being sold off at a proceeds-of-crime auction.

Episode 5

Episode: 2x05 | Airdate: May 18, 2018

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Police in Wales track down organised crime gangs selling drugs out of suburban homes. A luxury yacht, once a criminal's pride and joy, is up for sale at a proceeds-of-crime auction, but how much will it fetch?

Episode 6

Episode: 2x06 | Airdate: May 21, 2018

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Police aim to put a stop to the drug supply in Derby, and take away any assets and cash that have been made illegally. Plus the RNLI are called out to assist a yacht in distress, but they end up alerting Border Force after it refuses to be rescued.

Episode 7

Episode: 2x07 | Airdate: May 22, 2018

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In this episode, one career criminal pays an enormous price for his series of frauds. And an Aston Martin supercar bought for over a hundred thousand pounds comes to be at a proceeds of crime auction.

Episode 8

Episode: 2x08 | Airdate: May 23, 2018

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Police crack down on a number of addresses they believe are being used to sell drugs. And Wiltshire police surveillance on a former nuclear bunker ends with a shocking discovery, one of the biggest of its kind in the UK.

Episode 9

Episode: 2x09 | Airdate: May 24, 2018

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This episode follows Thames Valley Police's economic crime unit when they suspect two million pounds has gone missing in a fraud and are after a suspect who may have laundered the cash. Plus a pilot's aircraft is sold off to the highest bidder, but what did he do wrong? And the church groups with a novel way of helping to keep the streets safe after dark.

Episode 10

Episode: 2x10 | Airdate: May 25, 2018

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How do you raise more than a million pounds for the public purse in just a couple of hours? Ill Gotten Gains meets the Copp family, who loved flaunting their wealth on social media and wound up in one of the biggest fraud investigations ever. In Solihull a team of officers from the illegal money lending team are leading the fight against loan sharks who charge eye-watering high interest rates.

Season 3

Episode 1

Episode: 3x01 | Airdate: Jun 24, 2019

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Police officers seize a Mercedes bought with the proceeds of drug dealing, and officers in Derby stop dealers making money in a public park by launching a series of arrests..

Episode 2

Episode: 3x02 | Airdate: Jun 25, 2019

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A massive police operation in Liverpool leads to a series of arrests, and an asset recovery team in the south west literally take the shirts off a drugs gang's backs.

Episode 3

Episode: 3x03 | Airdate: Jun 26, 2019

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The England Illegal Money Lending Team raid the home of a loan shark, and officers in Wales seize a caravan from a convicted loan shark and sell it at auction.

Episode 4

Episode: 3x04 | Airdate: Jun 27, 2019

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In this episode, police target a drug dealer, and when he is convicted they seize and sell off a house he bought with drug profits. Elsewhere, officers target money being made by dealers on the street, and we see some of the weaponry police have to remove before they can seize any cash.

Episode 5

Episode: 3x05 | Airdate: Jun 28, 2019

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In this episode, we see how two brothers in Wales ran their own drug organisation until they were exposed by police. We watch as their prize possessions, two motocross bikes, are sold at auction to the highest bidder.

Episode 6

Episode: 3x06 | Airdate: Jul 1, 2019

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Today, Merseyside police are on the hunt for a missing two hundred thousand pounds - they have a suspect but need to find evidence. And we see how money seized from criminals is put back into community schemes, as an inclusive football club gets money from the proceeds of crime.

Episode 7

Episode: 3x07 | Airdate: Jul 2, 2019

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A highly prized Harley Davidson motorcycle is up for auction, but what did its former owner do to end up having his bike seized by police and sold off?

Episode 8

Episode: 3x08 | Airdate: Jul 3, 2019

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Today, specialist officers from the Economic Crime Unit in Thames Valley raid a gang of suspected fraudsters - hitting them in the early hours of the morning. And a drug gang are losing their Mercedes - it's going under the hammer at a proceeds of crime auction whilst they sit in jail.

Episode 9

Episode: 3x09 | Airdate: Jul 4, 2019

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Thames Valley Police pursue suspected fraudsters in their region, and we find out how money seized from drug dealers is helping to keep football fans safe in the West Midlands.

Episode 10

Episode: 3x10 | Airdate: Jul 5, 2019

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Thames Valley Police target a series of 'county lines' drug dealers in their area, and youngsters in Wales receive Proceeds of Crime money to keep their boxing club fighting fit.

Episode 11

Episode: 3x11 | Airdate: Jul 8, 2019

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Elite police in Derby hit the streets and arrest dealers making money on their patch, whilst a money launderer's watch is sold at auction. Meanwhile, money raised from selling criminals goods is used to help feed people via a special pop-up restaurant in the Midlands.

Episode 12

Episode: 3x12 | Airdate: Jul 9, 2019

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A violent dealer loses cash and his shoe collection when the Met police track him down. A rare Merc goes up for sale at the Proceeds of Crime auction, and money seized from loan sharks helps get one Midlands town in the seaside spirit.

Episode 13

Episode: 3x13 | Airdate: Jul 10, 2019

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Police raid a house in search of drugs but find something terrifying once they are inside the property. An unusual property goes on sale at a Midlands Proceeds of Crime auction - a Hidden House. And a chunk of money made from selling criminal assets is given over to a football club to help them train young local players.

Episode 14

Episode: 3x14 | Airdate: Jul 11, 2019

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In this episode, a fraudsters high-end Range Rover is taken off him and sold at auction, and police suspect an elderly man may have had his home taken over by drug dealers, so they send a team to help. We also see how a community patrol in the West Midlands is receiving money from criminals to keep the streets safe.

Episode 15

Episode: 3x15 | Airdate: Jul 12, 2019

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Nearly £20,000 of trainers have been seized from a wannabe gangster, and he's about to lose the lot at a Proceeds of Crime auction. Police in the Thames Valley target one crook's pension so they can use the cash to pay back his victims. And BMX-riding kids get a boost when Proceeds of Crime money is used to give them a proper track and training.

Season 4

Episode 1

Episode: 4x01 | Airdate: Sep 7, 2020

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A police team try to recover what they suspect are some very expensive stolen vehicles. We also see how seized assets are sold off when a ring and a very prestigious Bentley are put up for auction – and the money returned to the public purse.

Episode 2

Episode: 4x02 | Airdate: Sep 8, 2020

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Police in the north east target suspected drug gangs. We also see how money seized from criminals is being used to help fund outdoor training for youngsters in the south west.

Episode 3

Episode: 4x03 | Airdate: Sep 9, 2020

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Police in Derby are after a man they suspect is part of a county lines drug operation, and a Merseyside drug dealer has his BMW seized and sold off at auction.

Episode 4

Episode: 4x04 | Airdate: Sep 10, 2020

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A modern slavery team check for signs of workers being exploited, a massive shoe collection goes up for sale when a London drug dealer is sent to jail, and we learn how an American Football team in the UK received a boost from proceeds-of-crime funding.

Episode 5

Episode: 4x05 | Airdate: Sep 11, 2020

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Proceeds-of-crime cash helps police go high tech as they use seized money to fund a drone team - and the team are soon in demand to cover drug raids across Lancashire and beyond.

Episode 6

Episode: 4x06 | Airdate: Sep 14, 2020

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Police launch an early morning operation against suspected loan sharks and show us one of the strangest places they have found hidden cash.

Episode 7

Episode: 4x07 | Airdate: Sep 15, 2020

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Police in Belfast show off a large collection of designer goods they found at a suspected paramilitary drug dealer's house, and a cheating boyfriend has his assets sold off after he stole money from his former girlfriends.

Episode 8

Episode: 4x08 | Airdate: Sep 16, 2020

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National Crime Agency officers seize cash and drugs from a suspected county lines drug dealer, and Border Force officers at Gatwick sell off a huge haul of gold seized from a passenger.

Episode 9

Episode: 4x09 | Airdate: Sep 17, 2020

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Counterfeit cigarette sellers are targeted by police in Cleveland who suspect that large sums of money are being made from the sale of unsafe products. And one criminal targeted by the City of London has his Rolex watch seized and sold off, but what will it fetch?

Episode 10

Episode: 4x10 | Airdate: Sep 18, 2020

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Police in Yorkshire look for county lines drug dealers in Harrogate, and at auction one fraudster is about to have their home sold to pay back the money they made illegally.

Episode 11

Episode: 4x11 | Airdate: Sep 21, 2020

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A light aircraft is up for sale to the highest bidder today – its owners must pay back tens of thousands of pounds they made through crime, but what did they do? And a modern slavery unit in north Wales moves to help suspected sex workers at a caravan on their patch.

Episode 12

Episode: 4x12 | Airdate: Sep 22, 2020

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Police in the City of London target suspected telephone fraudsters in a series of early morning raids – but will they find vital evidence of this difficult to prove crime? And a Liverpool drugs gang have their Range Rover and swanky Chanel gloves sold off to the public in a proceeds of crime sale.

Episode 13

Episode: 4x13 | Airdate: Sep 23, 2020

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Louis Vuitton, Prada, Chanel – just some of the luxury handbags for sale at the proceeds of crime auction today, all of which were seized from one man! We also follow Hackney Trading Standards as they target a shop they believe is selling fake electronic goods on the high street.

Episode 14

Episode: 4x14 | Airdate: Sep 24, 2020

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Today we watch as Merseyside police investigate the case of a carer they think has taken a huge sum of money from the person she was supposed to be caring for, and we also see what a 'vishing' fraudster's designer suit and clothes will fetch at auction.

Episode 15

Episode: 4x15 | Airdate: Sep 25, 2020

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Today, a drone goes for sale at the proceeds of crime auction, and police in Surrey are targeting county lines drug dealers. We also learn how dedicated Trading Standards officers in Powys tracked down a cruel con man targeting the elderly - and stripped him of all the cash he had stolen.

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