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England and Wales High Court (Administrative Court) Decisions |
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You are here: BAILII >> Databases >> England and Wales High Court (Administrative Court) Decisions >> Assets Recovery Agency v Customs and Excise & Ors [2004] EWHC 1821 (Admin) (12 July 2004) URL: http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWHC/Admin/2004/1821.html Cite as: [2004] EWHC 1821 (Admin) |
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QUEEN'S BENCH DIVISION
THE ADMINISTRATIVE COURT
Strand London WC2 |
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B e f o r e :
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THE DIRECTOR OF THE ASSETS RECOVERY AGENCY | (CLAIMANT) | |
-v- | ||
(1) COMMISSIONERS OF CUSTOMS AND EXCISE | ||
(2) BRIAN COLIN CHARRINGTON | ||
(3) MARIO HALLEY | ||
(4) CURTIS FRANCIS WARREN | (DEFENDANTS) |
____________________
Smith Bernal Wordwave Limited
190 Fleet Street London EC4A 2AG
Tel No: 020 7404 1400 Fax No: 020 7831 8838
(Official Shorthand Writers to the Court)
MR M WOLKIND QC (instructed by Salhan & Company) appeared on behalf of the 2nd DEFENDANT
MR R BARRACLOUGH (instructed by Keith Dyson Solicitors) appeared on behalf of the 3rd and 4th DEFENDANTS
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Crown Copyright ©
"Antwerp first meeting 1988 ... Mr C sold diamonds. Introduction by his friends in South Africa. Qualifications, diamonds good quality profit. Long time trust/friendship developed. Cash withdrawn from bank in that form."
The previous page had what appears to be a number of questions, to which answers could be given, trying to devise some lawful means whereby the money could come into Charrington's possession.
"Whilst in Antwerp, I was staying at a hotel when I met a fellow resident by the name of De'Boer. He was a South African and he advised me that he had come to Antwerp in order to try and sell some diamonds. I got chatting to him and he explained that he had contacts in numerous diamond mines throughout Africa and that he had been able to get hold of numerous large diamonds. He stated that he had brought some of the diamonds with him. However, he was expecting there was going to be a lot more diamonds which were going to be mined in the next two years. In total, he estimated that he would be able to sell 50 million US dollars worth of diamonds over a two-year period. He stated that he did not want to have to keep coming back to the diamond centre in Antwerp in order to try and find buyers on each occasion. Accordingly, he was looking for one contact through which he could sell the diamonds on. He stated that he had spent a number of weeks trying to find an appropriate person but found that people were just trying to rip him off. He stated that if he could not find a buyer soon he would travel to New York and see whether or not he could find an appropriate contact there. I told him that I may know some people who may be prepared to buy the diamonds off him and that he should give me the opportunity to try and sell them. He stated that the diamonds were all legitimate and were being cleared through the Customs and the Belgian diamond centre. He said that if I could find a buyer then he would be able to arrange for them to be delivered to me so that I could sell them on."