Drug dealer to lose £157,000

Reporter: Lewis Jones
Date published: 27 May 2011


A DRUG dealer, who used his house in Chadderton to store thousands of pounds in drug profits, has been ordered to pay back the money he made from selling cannabis.

Jayantilal Patel (53) and his brother, Dipak Patel, (50), of Broadoak Road, Ashton, were ordered to pay back £157,000 under the Proceeds of Crime Act at Manchester’s Minshull Street Crown Court yesterday.

Jayantilal may be forced to sell his Porsche, Rolex and house to pay back the cannabis cash.

He must pay back the sum within six months.

Jayantilal was jailed for a total of 32 months after he pleaded guilty to possessing cannabis with intent to supply, possession of cannabis and concealment of money at a hearing in July, 2010.

Yesterday, the court heard how cash was uncovered from a property he owned in Faulkenhurst Street, Chadderton, making a combined total of more than £260,000 discovered.

With the pay-back order, the pair will lose a total of £417,000 they made from crime.

Financial investigator David Gwilliam said: “Of course it would be incredibly unfair for honest hard-working people and those affected by the blight of drugs to see these two men leave prison and return to a luxurious lifestyle.

“This legislation shows that crime really does not pay by punishing criminals and forcing them to give up the status symbols they have achieved through acting illegally.”