Police forced to return £30k seized in raid

Police who seized more than £30,000 cash from a Black Country wine bar have been forced to hand it back by a court, it emerged today.

Police took the cash from Monty's Wine Bar in High Street, Sedgley, when they raided the popular nightspot last Tuesday.

They had been acting on tip-offs about drug use but no drugs were found in the raid.

Owner Mark Bradley today accused the police of being "too fast" to tarnish his reputation after Walsall Magistrates Court threw out an application from police to keep hold of the seized cash on Thursday.

"The magistrate ruled that there was nothing relating to drugs or drug dealing found on the premises, and he was not convinced that the cash was the proceeds of crime or was it in any way used or intended to be used for any unlawful conduct," claimed Mr Bradley, who also owns The Swan Bed and Breakfast and The Courthouse pub in Gospel End and the Red Lion in Bull Ring, Sedgley.

"That money was my takings from all the businesses I run in Sedgley, along with a small amount of personal cash."

I know the police were just doing their job and I can't blame them for that, but they were too fast to tar me and the bar when they hadn't got the evidence."

Mr Bradley, who has run Monty's for 12 years as well as sitting as chairman of the Sedgley and Gornal Pub Watch for eight years, said he wanted to emphasise that the money was not being kept on the premises.

"I have the safety of my staff to think about," he added.

Officers swooped on Monty's Bar last Tuesday in a shock lunchtime raid. Startled customers were ushered off the premises at about 2pm.

More than 30 police officers stormed in following tip-offs about alleged drug use at the venue.

Customers were escorted out in small groups and searched while eight officers guarded the front entrance. Several police vans set up camp on the car park at the rear of the building.

There were no arrests and no drugs were found but police seized £30,000 cash under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

No one from West Midlands Police was available for comment today.