An ice cream man who allegedly made a fortune out of selling smuggled cigarettes is to be stripped of a property empire worth nearly £1 million sterling, it was revealed tonight.
The Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) has been granted a court order to seize four houses, two apartments, a four-wheel drive and collection of crystal belonging to Belfast couple Stephen and Denise Baxter.
A fleet of four state-of-the-art ice cream vans are also to be sold off, with the cash raised ploughed back into battling crime.
The Baxters, of Lyndhurst View Park in the city, agreed to the settlement following a three-year investigation by the agency. ARA chiefs claimed their wealth was amassed from the proceeds of illegal street trading from Mr Baxter's vans.
They also showed he had been detected by police and HM Revenue and Customs selling smuggled tobacco out of the vehicles. His lifestyle and property acquisitions appeared to far outstrip any known lawful income, it was claimed.
After the High Court in Belfast granted the consent order to recover the assets, ARA interim director Alan McQuillan expressed delight at reaching the settlement.
He said: "We had shown that Mr Baxter had made a significant income from illegal trading and the peddling of contraband cigarettes.
"The minimum we will recover from this settlement is £900,000. The money will be recovered and recycled into the fight against crime." As part of the settlement the Baxters agreed to settle all the agency's civil recovery and tax claims.
They have retained the family home at Lyndhurst View Park and associated mortgage, some personal jewellery and £10,000 in cash.