Pubdate:  Mon, 15 Sep 1997

Source: The Times
DAte: 15 September
Subject: Drug Link Clue to Contract Killing
Contact: Drug link clue to contract killing 

                 BY TIM JONES 

A MILLIONAIRE scrap dealer may have been murdered
by a contract killer in a drugrelated attack. Ray Clifford, 44,
died early on Saturday morning from gunshot wounds to his
head as he visited the yard of his firm in a wooded country
lane. 

Detectives are trying to discover why Mr Clifford, from
Rochester, Kent, was lured to his isolated scrapyard near
the hamlet of Lidsing, near Chatham. Police believe the
murder was planned and the gunman knew that Mr Clifford,
who was married with two children, would turn up. 

Some local people, who would not be named, claimed that
Mr Clifford had made many enemies and alleged he was a
"big time" drugs dealer. One said: "He had stepped on many
people's toes as he made millions of pounds from drugs. Any
one of scores of his enemies could have pulled the trigger."
Another said: "He was a nasty piece of work and he had a
lot of enemies." 

Detective Chief Inspector Dave Stevens, said: "It appears
this crime was premeditated. It is not necessarily
professional, as such, but it looks like it was planned and that
they knew the victim would be there. Although Mr Clifford
owned the property, he did not live there. It would have
been a bizarre coincidence if the killer had turned up there by
chance at precisely the time Mr Clifford did."