A convicted drug dealer from Warrington has been ordered to sell his home and pay back more than £45,000 of his ill-gotten gains.
Daniel Lockley, 36, was jailed for three years on Friday 14 February after pleading guilty to possession with intent to supply cocaine and cannabis.
The case against Lockley began when officers found packages of cocaine in the BMW car he was driving shortly before midnight on Wednesday 15 January.
The officers also discovered scales, plastic bags that illegal drugs are sold in and a list of buyers and the money they owed when the car was searched in Reaper Close, Great Sankey, Warrington.
In addition, a bag containing two large packages of cannabis were found nearby.
Lockley was subsequently arrested and search warrants were executed at his house in Willoughby Close, Warrington, as well as at an address in the town he has links with, in Livingstone Close.
Significant quantities of cannabis were seized from both houses.
The total street value of the class A and B drugs seized from the properties, and in and near the car Lockley was driving, was estimated at £32,305.
While in police custody, Lockley admitted that all the drugs belonged to him.
He initially claimed that he possessed the drugs for personal use, but forensic examination of mobile phones belonging to Lockley revealed numerous drug-related messages, including offers to sell cocaine and cannabis.
Lockey was jailed at Liverpool Crown Court.
He returned to the court for a proceeds of crime confiscation hearing on Friday 14 August.
The court heard that a thorough financial investigation conducted by Cheshire Constabulary had revealed that Lockey made a large amount of money from this drug dealing activities.
He was given a confiscation order to sell his home in Willoughby Close and pay back a total of £47,070.
Lockey has three months to pay the money or he will be handed a default 12-month prison sentence.
Detective Constable Ian Morris, of Warrington Local Policing Unit, said: “Daniel Lockley was brought to justice after officers seized cocaine with an estimated street value of £17,200 and cannabis with an estimated street value of £15,105 after deciding to search a car they had seen him driving at speed in Warrington.
“The confiscation investigation was conducted in tandem with the criminal investigation, and I would like to thank all those involved for their hard work in uncovering the extent of Lockley’s ill-gotten gains over a significant period of time.
“At Cheshire Constabulary we have a role of ensuring that crime does not pay. Thanks to the confiscation order that have been imposed by Liverpool Crown Court, we have achieved that goal in relation to Lockey.”
A proportion of the money will come back to Cheshire Constabulary to be used to fight crime.
It will also be used to boost community projects and steer people away from a life of crime.
David Keane, Police and Crime Commissioner for Cheshire, said:“The Proceeds of Crime Act ensures that money seized from criminals is put to good use, helping to keep our communities safe.
“Criminal activity ruins lives and communities, and I am committed to ensuring that money seized from offending is reinvested back into our communities to discourage people from making the same mistakes.
“My Safer Communities Fund takes the money seized underneath the Proceeds of Crime Act in Cheshire and reinvests it back into local community groups, via small grants, so that they can make their area a safer place to live, work and visit.”
Chief Inspector Simon Meegan, of Warrington Local Policing Unit, added: “Illegal drugs blight communities across the UK and cause untold damage to the lives of both those who use the drugs and become dependent on them and the wider community who suffer from the resulting crime.
“Drug dealing in Warrington or elsewhere in Cheshire will not be tolerated, and I hope this case deters others from getting involved in the supply of illegal drugs.
“While this investigation has now concluded, our fight against illegal drugs, and those who supply them, continues and I urge anyone with any information about suspected drug related activity in their community to get in touch. You will be listened to and we will investigate the matter.”
You can report suspected drug dealing to Cheshire Constabulary directly by calling 101 or giving the details online via our website.
Alternatively, information can also be given anonymously, via Crimestoppers, on 0800 555 111.
