A MAN from Rhyl who was part of a wider conspiracy concerning the supply of cocaine and cannabis made almost £500,000 through his involvement in the operation.
Daniel Crossley, 37, of Frances Avenue, was jailed for 10 years in June 2022, after a court heard that he had started out in a significant role in the conspiracy, which became a leading one as it continued.
At a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing at Mold Crown Court today (September 1), prosecutor Jade Tufail said that Crossley made a profit of £480,414.50 through his role.
Of this amount, Crossley was ordered by Judge Nicola Saffman to pay back £28,363.39 within the next three months, or face a period of 13 months in default.
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This available amount is made up of items owned by Crossley but currently in police possession, Ms Tufail said.
Likewise, co-defendant Thomas Davies, 27, of Glan Y Don, Greenfield, Flintshire, profited £401,730.00 from the operation.
Davies was jailed for 11 years and eight months for his role in the conspiracy.
Even while he spent months in HMP Berwyn during the conspiracy, Davies was said to have managed to control the enterprise, directing others to act on his behalf.
Judge Saffman ordered him to pay back his total available amount of £1,615.71 within the same three-month period, or face 32 days in default.
A further hearing regarding serious crime prevention orders for each defendant will be held on September 7.
Their offences dated from December 2019 to April 2021, and saw a "network of distinctive but linked organised crime groups" combining to become a "formidable drugs consortium”.
Based on the substances seized and communications analysed, drugs experts at North Wales Police estimated that a year's worth of drug supply at the scale the gang was operating on could have netted them up to £6million or more.
“Operation Blue Cobalt”, a police initiative, ultimately brought Crossley, Davies and their co-defendants to justice.
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