Drug dealers who created ‘no-go’ areas stripped of millions

16 Apr 2012 03:48 PM

Four key members of a drug trafficking network with hubs in Southern England and Wales have been told they must pay back a combined total of nearly £2.2m in criminal profits.

During hearings lasting four days at Cardiff Crown Court, His Honour Judge Hopkins QC handed down Confiscation Orders of:

- £792,055.80 against Craig Duncan Victor Blake, from Bournemouth
- £81,132.00 against Gareth Richard Davies, from Bournemouth
- £1,237,182.37 against Darren Brian Quick, from Rochester
- £85,210.78 against David Carl Richards, from Pontardawe, Swansea

Each was told they had six months in which to meet the terms of the Orders, and will have default prison sentences of 21 months (Davies and Richards), four years (Blake) and 6.5 years (Quick) added to their existing sentences should they fail to do so.  

Blake and Quick were additionally made subject to Financial Reporting Orders, which will compel them to provide details of their financial affairs for the next ten years.

All four had previously pleaded guilty to drugs charges following a SOCA-led operation which dismantled a criminal organisation comprised of three regional sub-groups working together. A branch in South Wales, led by Richards, procured the drugs from Quick’s Kent organisation, with Blake’s crew in Bournemouth acting as the conduit.

Together, they are believed to have trafficked around half-a-tonne of cocaine. The network’s impact on one area of South Wales had turned two previously popular pubs into no-go areas for the local community.

Confiscation Orders totalling nearly £2.4m have now been granted against members of the crime group following financial investigations conducted by SOCA and the Dorset, Kent and South Wales police forces. A total of 28 people were convicted of offences identified by the criminal investigation, which was additionally supported by the Australian Federal Police.

Notes to editors:

Craig Duncan Victor Blake: DOB 21/04/72. Serving a prison sentence of 16 years and 8 months.
Gareth Richard Davies: DOB. 25/01/74. Serving a prison sentence of 12 years
Darren Brian Quick: 18/11/65. Serving a prison sentence of 14 years and 4 months.
David Carl Richards: DOB 06/04/78. Serving a prison sentence of 12 years

All were sentenced on 2 July 2010