Overview

• Brothers Ahmet and Sahin Gok were ordered to pay £2.5 million under the Proceeds of Crime Act after a conviction that followed their failure to attend a court hearing.
• The court seized their passports because they missed the hearing, and the owners say their business banking has been frozen.
• Lewisham Council says it sought informal resolution, conducted a site inspection last month, and advised on steps to install a compliant replacement system.
• The £2.5 million figure is an initial calculation that can be adjusted through the appeals process, and the owners have launched a challenge.
• Metro reports the pair face a potential prison term of up to 14 years if the sum is not paid, and supporters have donated more than £13,000 in a week to their crowdfunding effort.