A corrupt customs officer convicted of cocaine dealing has been ordered to hand over nearly $180,000 in assets as the proceeds of crime.

Roberto Marques was ordered by Supreme Court to pay the total sum within six months, with the cash to be added to the Confiscated Assets Fund.

Marques, who was sentenced to ten years in jail two years ago, will have to pay $45,000 immediately, with the rest, about $130,000, to be paid within six months.

Puisne Judge Carlisle Greaves ruled that if Marques failed to pay up, he would serve an extra seven years behind bars.

The order came after the Bermuda Police Service asked for a Supreme Court confiscation hearing.

Acting Superintendent Nicholas Pedro, of the Bermuda Police Service, said: “We welcome this decision and note that we are committed to using our resources to fairly and transparently remove the proceeds of criminal conduct from the financial system of Bermuda.”

Marques was a serving customs officer when he was caught with the drug in 2016 and was jailed a year later.

Mr Pedro said that the BPS Financial Crime Unit gave evidence that Marques had benefited from his criminal activity over a six-year period and his take from crime amounted to more than $255,000.

Assets that were restrained included a Bermuda property, a property in the Azores, a vehicle valued at $18,000 and bank accounts holding balances of more than $15,000.

Mr Justice Greaves declared Marques’s realisable assets at $179,240.46 and ruled that they should be forfeited to the Crown.