Kim Ahn Diep, 27, of Lupset, was recently given a four-year prison sentence for growing cannabis.

He and 14 other convicted criminals from across West Yorkshire had their finances scrutinised by investigators from the Economic Crime Unit, part of the West Yorkshire Police Force's Crime Division.

And during the past 12 months the police, alongside criminal justice partner agencies, secured confiscation orders to take back £1,155,561 from the criminals using the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.

More than £7,000 can currently be taken from Diep but police say they will pursue him for £36,000 – the amount he is believed to have made from his criminality.

Det Chief Supt Max Mclean, head of the force's crime division, said: "Of course we want people who damage our communities with illegal drugs to feel the full weight of the law, but we also want to put them out of business permanently by taking their profits off them.

"The beauty of the Proceeds of Crime Act is that it gives us the ability to strip negative role models of their ill-gotten gains and to demonstrate clearly that crime does not pay."

If criminals do not pay after a confiscation order is made they can get an additional jail term, as well as still having to pay back their illegally earned cash.

Any future wealth from crime can also be taken.

Bryan Dent, force drugs co-ordinator, said: "We want to demonstrate to the public that we are totally committed to attacking the wealth of those who profit from the trade in illegal drugs, by making sure they do not have a financial base to carry on drug dealing in the future."

Money seized from the proceeds of crime act is split between the Treasury, the police, the Crown Prosecution Service and the courts.

Cash is also put back into community projects and in Wakefield it has helped Youth Forward and CASA, a counselling service for young people who have experienced domestic violence.

Anyone with information about anyone involved in the trade in illegal drugs should contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.