A SHOPKEEPER who sold stolen soft drinks has been ordered to give up £40,000.

Ajmail Sahota, 34, of London Road, Crayford, was one of eight men convicted of conspiracy to steal from a Coca Cola distribution centre in Sidcup.

He was ordered to give up the money at a confiscation hearing at Woolwich Crown Court.

It follows an inquiry by the payback unit at Bexleyheath police station, set up to take the profit out of crimes committed by Bexley’s criminals.

The money is paid to the public purse or to victims who have suffered financially as a result of the crimes.

A network of employees working at the Coca Cola centre, off Cray Road, Foots Cray, picked out, loaded and delivered stolen cans and bottles to Sahota over three months between June 28 and September 13, 2006.

Sahota sold them on at his shop, A J & Sons Mini Market, in Bridge Road, Slade Green.

A security team at Coca Cola became aware of this and following their own investigation called police.

Sahota was arrested at his shop in September 2006 and the premises were searched.

A total of £670 worth of Coca Cola drinks stolen from the centre were seized during the raid.

Sahota was charged and while awaiting trial attempted to intimidate prosecution witnesses by threatening to kill them.

He was found guilty of conspiracy to steal and intimidating witnesses.

Sahota and his brother Durmeet Sahota, 24, of Northend Road, Erith, were also sentenced for an offence of actual bodily harm committed in February 2006.

They beat a 35-year-old man unconscious after he had kicked the sign outside the store.

The victim was in hospital for two weeks.

Sahota was sentenced to a total of three years imprisonment in respect of all these offences in January.

Det Insp Michael Shelley said: “My officers will use every possible means to ensure that criminals do not get to keep their ill-gotten gains. This is powerful legislation and we intend to continue to utilise it in a robust and far-reaching manner.”