SURPRISE and shock has been expressed by those living in the same complex as the kingpin in a major cocaine racket who stashed almost half-a-million pound in his penthouse.

Khalad Uddin, who was jailed for a total of 16 years for his role in brokering deals between a Londonbased Albanian gang and UK drug dealers, was ‘pleasant’ and would say hello to residents in Scholars Mews, a neighbour said.

The reaction to his sentencing comes as detectives believe the total value of cash and items recovered from the 35-year-old’s criminal activity will eventually rise to more than a million pounds.

Officers have seized £550,000 so far after they brought down the kingpin of one of the largest organised crime gangs in the country.

Uddin, of Little Brewery Street, St Clement’s, Oxford, used his criminal cash to rent a £3,000-amonth penthouse in North Oxford and lease high performance sports cars.

Thames Valley Police are now progressing with a proceeds of crime application to seize other assets, where it is believed monies recovered will see their highest ever cash haul.

One neighbour, who did not want to be identified, recalled Uddin parking various high-performance sports cars in the gated complex.

They added: “He would say hello and I had no reason at all to think he was anything other than a typical resident on the little estate.

“I do remember seeing a sports car. It might have been a Ferrari or Lamborghini.”

It is understood Uddin, who was brought up in Oxford and owned multiple properties in the city, lived in Scholars Mews for a number of months rather than years.

When officers raided his property in October last year after watching him under cover for some months, they found about £460,000 in cash, 70 pairs of designer jeans, a jacket with a bullet-proof vest, 40 mobile phones and anti-surveillance equipment.

Detective Chief Inspector Bruce Riddell told the Oxford Mail: “From Uddin’s house alone we recovered about £460,000 cash and then another £90,000.

"It will definitely be in excess of million recovered when you take into account [other] houses and properties. He had 70 pairs of jeans at his home address.

"It just shows you he was out of control because he hadn’t even taken the labels off.

“He still has a number of properties in and around Oxford. They are all currently being looked at for proceeds are crime, because we are quite sure a lot of what he has purchased has been through criminal activity.”

The money recovered will go to community projects as part of the force’s Stronghold campaign against serious organised crime.

Officers seized more than 10kg of cocaine through their operation and also found Uddin had arranged the purchase of two handguns, which were found in a VW people carrier.

He was sentenced on Thursday, after pleading guilty to two counts of conspiracy to supply cocaine, one count of money laundering and being convicted of conspiracy to transfer firearms and ammunition.

Thirteen others from across the country were also sentenced.