A Northern Irish woman accused of having links to paramilitary criminals has been ordered to explain how she bought six properties worth £3.2m.

The National Crime Agency said the woman is believed to be associated with criminals involved in paramilitary activity as well as cigarette smuggling gangs and is at the centre of an investigation into the source of funds used to buy four properties in London and two in Northern Ireland. The property empire could be seized by the authorities if the woman fails to provide evidence of the legitimate funds used to buy the homes.

Andy Lewis, the head of asset denial at the NCA, said it was the fourth case in which the agency had obtained an unexplained wealth order (UWO). “Our investigations are complex and involve careful consideration before we make an application before the court.

“We do not investigate illicit finance based on monetary value alone. This latest order shows that we will act against those who we believe are causing the most harm to our communities.”

The high court has granted interim freezing orders on the properties, blocking the woman from selling or transferring them until the end of the investigation.

UWOs, which have been nicknamed McMafia laws after the hit BBC1 drama, are a new tool to help investigators crack down on the £90bn tide of “dirty money” flooding into the UK by forcing suspected corrupt government-linked officials to prove their wealth is legitimate.

The first UWO was targeted at Zamira Hajiyeva, the wife of a Azerbaijani banker jailed for fraud. Hajiyeva is the subject of two orders on £22m worth of Uk properties, including a £11.5m townhouse in Knightsbridge. The court heard that Hajiyeva spent £16.3m at Harrods between 2006 and 2016.

Her Harrods spending receipts reveal the 55-year-old treated the store in Knightsbridge, London, like a corner shop, popping in for £24,000 worth of tea and coffee and spending £10,000 on fruit and veg and £32,000 on Godiva chocolates.

She also splashed out £4.9m on Boucheron and Cartier jewellery and £300,000 on French couture label Celine. A further £251,000 was spent in the toy department and tens of thousands on Disney princess experiences at the Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique.



Sarah Pritchard, the director of the National Economic Crime Centre, said: “We are determined to identify and prioritise the cases which have the biggest impact on tackling serious and organised economic crime.

“Criminally obtained assets undermine the integrity of the UK’s economy and institutions. We will use all the powers available to us to target those we suspect are trying to launder money and will explore every opportunity to deny assets linked to illicit finance.”