Dodgy dealer ordered to cough up £346k in three months - or else

A convicted drug-dealer has been ordered to cough up more than £346,000 of his ill-gotten gains in three months - or face the consequences.

Kyle Darbyshire was jailed for 12 years in January last year. His sentencing at Manchester Crown Court followed a major police investigation which uncovered what Greater Manchester Police called a 'large-scale drug conspiracy' after a cannabis farm was located in Salford.

The 37-year-old, of Blantyre Avenue, Walkden, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs and production and cultivation of cannabis. Three other men were also convicted.

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Now, GMP has revealed action is being taken against all four under the Proceeds of Crime Act, which seeks to recover ill-gotten gains from convicted criminals. GMP said Darbyshire benefited from his 'criminal conduct' to the tune of is £1.2m. He has now been ordered to pay back £346,061 within three months., or face longer behind bars. The sum represents the total of all his current realisable assets.

The force said he would have to settle the total if he acquires assets going forward. The total figure comprises the value of cocaine and cannabis seized by police, plus accrued interest.

Mark Burgess, 46, of Ellenbrook Road, Worsley, pleaded guilty to the production of cannabis and received a 24-month suspended sentence together with an 18 month supervision order. He was also ordered to complete 180 hours of unpaid work.

Mark Cox, 39, of Runnymeade, Swinton, was sentenced to a 10-month suspended sentence together with a 12-month supervision order and 60 hours of unpaid work after he pleaded guilty to the production of cannabis. GMP said at a court confiscation hearing, he was ordered to pay £13,000.

Geoffrey White, 46, Thorpe Avenue, Swinton, also pleaded guilty to the production of cannabis. He was sentenced to a 10-month suspended sentence, with a 12-month suspension order and 80 hours of unpaid work. The force said White was ordered to pay £28,721.

"The amounts claimed is the benefit they have received from other criminal activities during the six year drug operation before they were arrested in connection with a cannabis farm in Bolton," said a force spokesperson in a statement. "During the investigation by our Challenger team, the gang was found to be using encrypted devices to organise the purchasing of drugs and also were involved in producing cannabis at farms in Swinton and Bolton."

Detective Inspector Rebecca McGuigan, of GMP's Salford district, said: "This was a complex investigation that saw a significant drugs supply chain taken off the streets of Salford, undoubtedly making our local community safer. But for us, we want to go further than a conviction to ensure that any money gained as a result of their criminal activities is given back.

"It is another important tool in achieving justice to ensure that they cannot continue to live lavishly with their ill-gotten gains."