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Drugs dealers forced to pay back assets (Bristol)
Two Bristol drug dealers have been ordered to pay back the money they made from their crimes.
Today at Bristol Crown Court a confiscation order was made against Richard Matthews, aged 33 and Daniel Prior, 35, who were residing in Easton area of Bristol.
On 12th October 2009, officers attended Armoury Square in Easton, acting on intelligence that cannabis was being cultivated within the address.
When officers entered the premises they discovered that the cellar in the property had been converted for the purpose of producing cannabis. Police discovered a number of cannabis plants, cannabis bush, MDMA, DMT and various items of drug paraphernalia. It was also discovered that the electricity meter had been bypassed.
On the 26th February 2010 Prior was convicted of production of cannabis, two counts of possession of a Class A controlled drug and one count of possession of a Class B controlled drug. On the same day Matthews was convicted of production of a Class B controlled drug and possession with intent to supply cannabis resin.
Prior was sentenced on the 9th June 2010 to 12 months imprisonment for production of a Class B drug and three months each for the possession offences to run concurrently.
Matthews was also sentenced on the 9th June 2010 to 20 months' imprisonment for the production of cannabis and 20 months imprisonment for possession with intent to supply a Class B Drug to run concurrently.
Both appeared at court today in connection with the assets they had accrued from crime.
Matthews was found to have benefited from criminal conduct to the value of £2,000.00 and had assets of £2,000.00 to satisfy the order, this included money already in police possession and money within a bank account.
Prior was found to have benefited from criminal conduct to the value of £100 and had assets of £100 to satisfy the order, this also included money within a bank account. Matthews was given six months to pay and Prior was given 56 days to pay or serve further time in prison, with the money still due on their release.
Dr Kirstie Cogram from Avon and Somerset Police's Financial Investigation Unit said: "We are committed to seizing any assets that criminals have gained as a result of crime.
!It is not acceptable that criminals benefit from illegal activities and we will relentlessly pursue them through the courts to ensure their money is taken. By doing this we show criminals that they will not benefit from crime and hopefully deter others from entering a life of crime."
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