Luxury homes and cars have been seized in the North in an offensive against a family that allegedly has loyalist links and is running an alleged international smuggling operation, it emerged today.
More than £300,000 sterling (€434, 637) was frozen by the Assets Recovery Agency (ARA) as it took control of four businesses - one based in the Canary Islands.
Investigators secured High Court Orders in Belfast to move against three business people based in Carrickfergus, Co Antrim, who are also suspected of selling counterfeit goods, cigarette fraud and illegally importing fireworks from China.
The agency's Northern Ireland chief, former police chief Alan McQuillan, said organised crime links were being examined. He said: "In this case it's part of our case to the High Court that there are business links from these individuals to China and to Egypt and to other places in the rest of the UK.
A receiver appointed after premises in Carrickfergus were searched yesterday
took control of an apartment and house in the area.
Three Northern Ireland-registered companies, as well as companies in Leeds and the Canary Islands were also frozen. Three top of the range BMW cars were taken away.
The latest ARA operation comes weeks after more than £1 million in cash and property belonging to a murdered loyalist paramilitary boss was seized.
Although Mr McQuillan did not believe paramilitaries were running the latest
crime operation, he confirmed the suspects named in court papers were associated
with top loyalists.