Leeds drug dealer ordered to pay court £130k or face further time in prison

Andre Craig, aged 31, of Ashton View, Harehills, was sentenced to 45 months in prison in November 2024 after pleading guilty to possession with intent to supply Class A and Class B drugs.

He was arrested after officers stopped him in a car in Lower Town Street, Bramley, on August 16 that year.

A search of the vehicle led to the recovery of quantities of cocaine, cannabis and MDMA.

He was later found to have a safety deposit box containing £40,000 in cash, along with bars of silver.

Following his criminal conviction, Leeds-based financial investigators from West Yorkshire Police’s Economic Crime Unit took action against him under the Proceeds of Crime Act after identifying assets including cash, the silver bars and a property.

At a hearing at Leeds Crown Court on March 18, Craig was ordered to pay back £129,030 within three months or face a further 15 months in prison.

‘Making significant amounts of money’

Detective Inspector Alastair Nicholls said: “Craig was clearly someone who was making significant amounts of money from the dealing drugs, which we know fuel violent crime and have a negative impact on our communities.

“Following his criminal conviction, our specialist financial investigators have made full use of the available legislation to secure this confiscation order against him.

“It means he must pay back the value of the identified assets that he generated from crime within three months or go back to prison.

“We hope this latest success by our financial investigators will help to reassure our communities and send a clear message to those who think they can benefit from crime without having to face the consequences.”