More than £20,000 has been forfeited from a man and woman who couldn’t prove it had been lawfully earned.

Nicolae Mustafa, 38, and Sabina Curt, 35, from Salisbury in Wiltshire, were stopped while trying to leave the UK via the Port of Dover on November 3, 2022.

The money in their possession was seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act after officers interviewed them about their finances and expressed doubts as to where the cash had come from.

An investigation was carried out by financial experts from the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate.

It applied for the money to be forfeited on the grounds it was likely to have been obtained through unlawful conduct.

The application was granted following a hearing at Medway Magistrates Court.

Det Insp David Godfrey of the Economic Crime Unit said: ‘The individuals involved in this case were never arrested or charged with any criminal offences.

“But they were unable to persuade the court that the £20,280 had been earned through legitimate and lawful means.

“The Proceeds of Crime Act allows officers to seize cash and goods when they are not satisfied with the evidence provided, pending further enquiries by our team of financial investigators.

“Such action allows us to prevent people making a living from illegal activity and potentially helping to fund other types of serious and organised criminality.”