WIREDGOV

A second-hand car salesman has agreed to forfeit a property portfolio and money worth  a total of £1.14million, following a Civil Recovery and Tax investigation into his acquisition of a portfolio of ten properties.

The settlement includes five buy-to-let properties; a luxury property in Spain; a property with a development opportunity comprising of a site for eight dwellings; and £249,241 cash held in a bank account.

In its case at the High Court, the National Crime Agency (NCA) alleged that Peter Grubisic (59), from Ilkley, West Yorkshire, had been involved in serious criminality since the 1990s, including the importation and supply of drugs, money laundering, fraud, and tax evasion. 

It was further alleged that Grubisic has links to serious organised criminals in the UK and overseas, including in the Netherlands and Spain. 

The NCA asserted that Grubisic used his car dealership and property development businesses to launder the proceeds of his unlawful conduct, and that his declared income was not sufficient to fund his property purchases and luxury lifestyle, which included several business class flights to South America. 

Rob Burgess, Head of Civil Recovery at the NCA recently said:

“Taking the proceeds of crime off individuals such as Grubsic can have a significant impact for the local area. Through this work we have sent a clear message to the community that no one is above the law, while simultaneously taking away his ability to enjoy the proceeds of crime.”