Drug importer ordered to repay £1,650 as compromise on unexplained £15,000 assets
A WOMAN who imported Class C drugs from India was found with £15,000 in "unexplained credit".
Valerie McDowall, pictured, was ordered to pay back £1,650 at a proceeds of crime hearing at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court yesterday.
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The 45-year-old, of Anchor Road, Longton received a four-month suspended prison sentence in January after pleading guilty to two charges of fraudulent evasion of a prohibition. This related to the importation of 1,500 diazepam tablets and 1,400 nitrazepam tablets in March 2009.
Philip Beardmore, prosecuting, told the court after McDowall's arrest, investigators found £15,000 in cash and goods that could not be explained.
He said: "The unexplained credit included the value of a vehicle, a Land Cruiser, cash and the value of the drugs.
"The Crown's position is that no matter what impression you take of the situation, it doesn't explain the value of the drugs seized. The cash, £200, cannot be explained either.
"In the spirit of compromise the Crown has offered to make an order for £1,650, which is the value of the drugs, and the cash."
Judge James Orrell approved the confiscation order and for also ordered the drugs to be destroyed.
McDowall was caught after a package addressed to her was intercepted.
6 Comments
by lynneje, stoke
Tuesday, June 22 2010, 10:15PM
“Why £1.650 and not the lot. Bloody joke, no deterrent.”
by Andy, Puzzled
Tuesday, June 22 2010, 9:22PM
“anon, stoke-on-trent
What the **** ?”
by anon, stoke-on-trent
Tuesday, June 22 2010, 6:33PM
“words get muddled when you send. I will put it simple, all that talk on this webpage about eugenics, to clear out wasters, when in fact its wasters that are clearing out the sad B******ds & old ladies they think no one cares about. I have heard then talking & argued with one who believes in doing old ladies in Tesco for all to here. I will say again thats were the money been coming from. Say anything & they laugh, if you wonder where your relatives money goes have a look around the Council estates & private like Trentham at those who haven't worked for years. £15k for dealing might be.”
by anon, stoke-on-trent
Tuesday, June 22 2010, 5:56PM
“Explained about the big money they have but I still have doubts they make that much. I still have an feeling it to do with eugenics, all this talk of it, its not the b******s they are talking of doing its the old ladies, I have heard from people so others must have. On the comments its all clear out the wasters nor like pay the wasters etc. for eugenics on the old & sad b*******s that they think no one cares about, well we do.”
by why bother, Stoke
Tuesday, June 22 2010, 12:20PM
“Seems like she's had a nice cushy life due to her drug dealings. Crime certainly pays.”
by anon, stoke-on-trent
Tuesday, June 22 2010, 11:11AM
“The money might not be explained, but its explained alot to me I wondered like others where the £15k & big cars were coming from.”