Cocaine dealer ordered to pay back £4,000 despite making over £10,000
Harry Cook, a 29-year-old cocaine dealer, has been ordered to pay back £4,000 despite making more than £10,000. Thousands of pounds worth of class A drugs were found in his car by officers. Cook denied that the sporty Seat car containing the cocaine belonged to him, but CCTV footage showed him driving it into a hotel car park where officers discovered the illicit substances. Cook, who has two previous convictions for dealing cocaine and four for dealing cannabis, was sentenced to 2,045 days in prison.
The arrest took place on June 5 last year when Cook was staying at a hotel in Usk as part of an unrelated police investigation. During a search of his room, authorities found almost £2,400 in cash and the keys to a Seat Cupra parked outside. Upon searching the sporty car, officers discovered bags containing 128g of a white powder confirmed to be cocaine through field testing, along with a quantity of cannabis. Cook, formerly of Cumberland Road, Newport, pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to supply, possession of criminal property, possession of cannabis, driving while disqualified, and driving with no insurance during his sentencing.
Following the sentencing, Gwent Police staff investigator Rachel Hines expressed the impact of Cook’s involvement in drug supply on vulnerable individuals in society. She highlighted Cook’s blatant disregard for public safety by continuing to drive while disqualified and uninsured. Hines emphasised the detrimental effects of drug trafficking on communities and the cycle of criminal activities it fuels. She underscored the authorities’ commitment to targeting individuals engaged in such illicit activities and bringing them to justice.
A Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) hearing at Cardiff Crown Court revealed that Cook had benefited from his criminal activities to the sum of £10,453 but only had assets worth £4,363. Judge Hywel James ordered Cook to pay back the sum of £4,363 or face an additional three months of imprisonment. The hearing demonstrated the legal repercussions faced by individuals involved in drug trafficking and the measures taken to recuperate the profits gained from illegal activities.
The case serves as a reminder of the severe penalties imposed on individuals engaged in drug trafficking and related criminal activities. It underscores the collaborative efforts of law enforcement agencies to combat drug supply networks and hold perpetrators accountable for their actions. The sentencing of Cook reflects the justice system’s commitment to imposing consequences on those who flout the law and contribute to the proliferation of illegal drugs in communities. The substantial financial penalty imposed on Cook highlights the legal mechanisms in place to disrupt illicit activities and deter individuals from engaging in criminal behaviour.