Jailed Bilston drug dealer must pay back almost £74,000
A dealer who ran a Class A drugs empire from his home in Wolverhampton must pay back almost £74,000 of ill-gotten gains or spend more time in jail.
Police found wads of cash and cocaine across the property where Daniel Anderson was staying in Langdale Drive, Bilston, last June.
Officers discovered a secret compartment where blocks of cocaine were stored underneath the stairs and a number of suspected 'drugs phones’ in a drawer, after executing a search warrant.
The dealer - who uses the street name Bones and said he was a care assistant - went on to be jailed for six years for possession with intent to supply. Officers set about recovering cash or assets from his activities under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA).
Evidence that Anderson pocketed almost £130,000 from his criminal lifestyle, of which £73,500 can be promptly retrieved, was presented at a confiscation order hearing at Wolverhampton Crown Court yesterday.
The 36-year-old was ordered to pay off the available amount within three months or he will be forced to face an extra nine months behind bars. He remains in debt for the remainder of the money.
Inspector Stephanie Furber, from Wolverhampton Police, said: "We acted on intelligence and rumbled his Class A business.
"Even though he was jailed we were determined he should not benefit from his ill-gotten gains in future and successfully brought this confiscation case under POCA."
West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner, David Jamieson added: "The Proceeds of Crime Act ensures that the money the police seize from criminals is put to good use keeping our communities safer.
"I’m pleased that in the past year we’ve allocated £160,000 to expand the work of the financial investigators who are helping us take more money from criminals to put to good use.
"Money seized by the new team is being put directly into helping those with substance misuse problems. The people who have been exploited and harmed by the criminals whose cash we have taken.
"My Community Initiatives Fund is proving a vital tool in ensuring that are helping people as we battle coronavirus.
"From the volunteers helping those overcome the social impacts of isolation and those helping the elderly and homeless who may need extra support as the lockdown is lifted."
