CUMBRIA Police can continue holding £39,000 which was seized on the M6 Motorway from two motorists within the space of an hour.

The two cash seizures - made under Proceeds of Crime legistation - were entirely unconnected but they both happened within a short time of each other on M6 southbound last Thursday afternoon.

At Carlisle’s Rickergate Magistrates’ Court, a Cumbria Constabulary financial investigator outlined the circumstances surrounding the discovery of the first cash sum, totalling £18,000.

Police stopped the car involved after noticing it at around 2.30pm as the driver appeared to be hogging the middle lane, and failing to move over to the nearside lane when most drivers would have done so.

There were two people in the car and the officers asked one of the men to speak to them in the police patrol car while the second man was spoken to in the car that was stopped.

It was during these conversations that “two different” stories were given about the car journey and this prompted the officers to decide to search the car, said the investigator.

During that search, the officers found a total of £17,000 in cash while the driver of the car was carrying £1,000 in cash. “He claimed that money was his wages from being a painter and decorator,” said the investigator.

The court was told that police want to continue holding the money for a further two months so that its origin can be investigated. The investigator said the man who says he owns the money had offered to provide evidence to show it is legitimate.

Magistrates approved the continued detention of the money under Proceeds of Crime legislation so the investigation can continue.

The second application related to a sum of £23,000, found in a car which drove past the officers as they were dealing with the first incident and the seized £18,000.

A check on the Police National Computer showed that the second car had not valid MOT so police caught up with it and stopped it.

Again there were two people inside the car.

Police asked the driver for ID and it was as he was opening his car’s glove compartment to get his wallet that the officer noticed a bundle of cash inside the compartment and decided to search the car.

When questioned, the man said there was £6,000 in the vehicle but cash bundles were found in various locations – in a carrier bag in the passenger footwell, in a bag attached to the gear stick, and in the pouch at the back of the driver’s seat.

The total amount recovered was £23,000.

The driver said the money belonged to his nephew in Scotland but officers had been unable to contact that man, said the investigator. Police had tracked down the alleged owner and invited him to the hearing in Carlisle but he failed to arrive, the court heard.

Police officers had been sent to the man’s home address in Warrington but it had transpired he does not live there. He had also been invited to

Magistrates approved the continued detention of the money so that police can continue their enquiries. This will include having the cash forensically examined and bank account checks.

Police will be allowed to continue holding the £23,000 for four months. A further hearing may be held if police decide the cash is linked to crime and should be forfeited.