Charities in Cambridgeshire have welcomed a court order to award them each a share of £18,750 found in a wardrobe at a drug dealer’s home.
Police discovered the cash after searching Rakeeb Ali’s home in Peterborough on 11 June along with cocaine worth up to £74,560 and cannabis worth up to £980.
Ali, 29 was jailed for four years and two months, after admitting at Cambridgeshire Crown Court earlier this month possession with intent to supply class A and B drugs, being concerned in the supply of cocaine, and possession of criminal property.
The court ordered £1,710 to be distributed to 11 charities including domestic abuse charity the Angels Foundation UK, homelessness organisation Cambridge Cyrenians and grantmaker the Cambridgeshire Community Foundation.
Cambridgeshire Constabulary detective constable Stephanie Day, who investigated, said: “This was a great find by our neighbourhood support team who were responding to concerns raised by the community about drug dealing.
“Drug dealing and the associated criminality can have a significant impact on communities, and I am glad something positive is coming from this with the cash being used to help those in need across Cambridgeshire.”
‘Generous contribution’
Caroline Deeprose, chief executive of the Angels Foundation UK, said: “We are grateful to receive this donation, which will be directed straight into frontline counselling and therapy services for survivors of domestic abuse.
“While these funds originated from criminal activity, their redistribution sends a powerful message, that harm can be transformed into hope.
“We commend the police and justice system for ensuring these proceeds now help rebuild lives and strengthen our community.”
Michael O’Toole, CEO of Cambridgeshire Community Foundation, said: “This donation will be directed toward providing better opportunities for children and young people in our communities.
“By investing in positive pathways for young people - through education, mentoring, and community programmes - we can help prevent them from being drawn into activities like drug dealing.”
Kayleigh Wingate, community fundraiser at Cambridge Cyrenians, said: “This generous contribution is already helping to sustain Cambridge Cyrenians’ supported accommodation, Older Homeless Service, dedicated mental health service, and therapeutic projects like our community allotment – vital lifelines for people experiencing homelessness in Cambridge.
“This funding means we can continue providing safety, stability, and dignity at such a difficult time in someone’s life.
“Our thanks go to Cambridge Crown Court and Cambridgeshire Police for their role in keeping our communities safe.”
Meanwhile, Mandy Geraghty, chief executive of Peterborough Women’s Aid, said: “We are extremely thankful for this donation to our charity.
“We heavily rely on fundraising and donations to keep our life saving services open.
“We have a strong presence in Peterborough and it feels appropriate that this money should be donated to charities in the heart of the community who would have been affected by this crime and reinvested into supporting vulnerable people in Peterborough.”
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