Drug dealer who had not worked for 15 YEARS has £800k confiscated in Jersey.

ALMOST £800,000 of criminal money was seized in JERSEY from Eitan Benzur, a British national, who was recently jailed for his involvement in a significant drug trafficking and money laundering operation.

• Between 2010 and 2014, Eitan Benzur conspired to supply 8.5 tonnes of cannabis worth over £9.3 million.
• He laundered the criminal proceeds by concealing substantial amounts of cash in safety deposit boxes at his home or by transferring money abroad (including £800k in Jersey).
• Shortly after February 2014: Benzur was arrested and released on bail, but fled to Israel to avoid prosecution
• May 17, 2021: Benzur is sentenced to nine years in prison by Bristol Crown Court.
• 2025 Half of the almost £800,000 was sent to the UK Home Office last month, while the other £397,000 will stay in Jersey to help tackle crime through the Criminal Offences Confiscation Fund.

Interestingly

• Other than drug dealing, Eitan Benzur had no regular employment and hadn’t declared any income since 1999 [for 15 years] before his arrest.
• He fraudulently claimed £127,991 in state benefits between 2008 and 2014

Worryingly, in and around 2014

• Eitan Benzur opened a portfolio account in Jersey and deposited £800k in a regulated business who did all its AML CDD checks

2020--2021

• In 2020, Benzur fled to Israel while on bail and remained there for five years before being extradited to the UK
• In 2021, he admitted to concealing and transferring criminal property, possessing a false passport and conspiracy to supply a controlled drug.
• May 17, 2021: Benzur is sentenced to nine years in prison by Bristol Crown Court.

The court found that he had made almost £800,000 from his crimes, and identified Benzur’s portfolio in Jersey as an asset to be seized.

• Half of the almost £800,000 was sent to the UK Home Office last month,
• while the other £397,000 will stay in Jersey to help tackle crime through the Criminal Offences Confiscation Fund.

Jersey’s Attorney General Mark Temple KC said:

• “This case yet again demonstrates Jersey’s ongoing commitment to assisting its overseas partners to ensure that criminals are denied the benefit of their criminal conduct.” 

Adrian Foster, Chief Crown Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service Proceeds of Crime Division, said:

• “Our international relationships and partnership working are key to ensuring that criminals cannot benefit from their criminal activities.
• “Thanks to our joint contribution, Eitan Benzur has been stripped of his ill-got gains, which have been shared between our jurisdictions to prevent future economic crime.”

Here's a summary of his background and criminal activities:

Background and Criminal Activities

• Age and Residence: Benzur is 65 years old and was previously based in Maida Vale, London
• Criminal Operation: Between 2010 and 2014, he conspired with others to supply 8.5 tonnes of cannabis, with a street value exceeding £9 million
• Money Laundering: He concealed large sums of cash in safety deposit boxes and transferred money abroad. Investigators found over £400,000 in cash at his flat and in deposit boxes
• No Legitimate Employment: Benzur had no regular employment and hadn’t declared any income for 15 years before his arrest. He fraudulently claimed £127,991 in state benefits between 2008 and 2014
• Criminal Associates: His associate, Clare O’Neill, was also convicted for money laundering and possessing a false identity document used by Benzur

Flight and Capture

• After being arrested in 2014, Benzur fled to Israel while on bail. He remained on the run for over six years.
• He was tracked down in Tel Aviv and extradited to the UK in August 2020
• In April 2021, he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to import Class B drugs and money laundering, and was sentenced to nine years in prison

Recent Developments

• In August 2025, authorities in Jersey confiscated nearly £800,000 of Benzur’s criminal proceeds. Half of this amount was transferred to the UK Home Office, and the other half will be used for crime prevention in Jersey.

Here’s a timeline of key events in the case of Eitan Benzur, including how authorities tracked him down in Israel:

Timeline of Events

• July 2010: A shipment of 70 kg of cannabis is seized in Blackpool. Benzur is later linked to financing this shipment.
• February 2014:
• The National Crime Agency (NCA) raids Benzur’s flat in Maida Vale, London.
• They find £400,000 in cash and a ledger detailing 8.5 tonnes of cannabis trafficked, worth over £9 million.
• On the same day, Clare O’Neill’s home is raided, and £115,729 is seized. She later admits to laundering money for Benzur and holding a false passport in his name.
• Shortly after February 2014: Benzur is arrested and released on bail, but he flees to Israel to avoid prosecution.
• February 2015: Clare O’Neill is sentenced to a two-year suspended sentence and 180 hours of community service.
• December 2019: After years of investigation and collaboration with Israeli authorities, the NCA tracks Benzur to an address in Tel Aviv and arrests him.
• August 2020: Benzur is extradited to the UK.
• April 2021: He pleads guilty to conspiracy to import drugs and money laundering at Bristol Crown Court.
• May 17, 2021: Benzur is sentenced to nine years in prison.
• August 2025: Authorities in Jersey confiscate nearly £800,000 of Benzur’s criminal proceeds, splitting the funds between the UK Home Office and local crime prevention efforts.

How Authorities Tracked Him Down

• The NCA worked closely with Israeli law enforcement to locate Benzur.
• They used intelligence gathered from his criminal network, including unregistered mobile phones and financial transactions.
• After identifying his location in Tel Aviv, they secured an extradition warrant and coordinated his arrest in December 2019.

References

Drug trafficker jailed after years on the run in Israel https://www.hamhigh.co.uk/news/crime/21333313.drug-trafficker-jailed-years-run-israel/

British drug trafficker, who escaped to the Middle East, jailed for ... - ZAWYA https://www.zawya.com/en/legal/british-drug-trafficker-who-escaped-to-middle-east-jailed-for-9-years-pfd1nx7h

Officials seize nearly £800,000 from British drug smuggler https://www.zawya.com/en/legal/british-drug-trafficker-who-escaped-to-middle-east-jailed-for-9-years-pfd1nx7h

https://jerseyeveningpost.com/news/2025/08/13/almost-800000-of-drug-trafficking-proceeds-seized-in-jersey/