A couple who made close to £100,000 from dealing drugs will only have to pay back around £16,000. Gavin Willie was caught doing 100mph on the M4 with a large amount of cash and cannabis in his VW Passat, as well as a pick-axe handle. He told police he and his partner Jemay Abdullah — who was in the passenger seat — were visiting Swansea to buy a dog.
But messages on his phone showed Willie, 35, was in the business of buying and selling cannabis in kilo quantities, as well as dealing directly to users. Abdullah, 30, helped him with the scheme.
Last October Willie was sentenced to two years and six months in jail and Abdullah to a 12-month prison term suspended for 18 months. And the Londoners' case was back in court on Friday for a proceeds of crime act hearing to decide what would happen to the money they made from dealing.
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Newport Crown Court heard Willie benefited to the tune of around £49,000 from his crimes but would only be able to pay the court £8,110. Abdullah made around £48,000 yet had just £8,000 available. The available funds were in the form of the £16,110 found by police in Willie's car. The judge, Dyfed Llion Thomas, agreed that the seized cash would be used to pay the proceeds of crime debts.
When the pair were sentenced last year, prosecutor Ffion Thomas told Cardiff Crown Court that shortly after 9pm on June 7, 2022, police noticed a car on the M4 near Port Talbot had expired tax. She said officers chased the vehicle eastbound for some nine miles as it hit speeds in excess of 100mph.
Eventually the VW Passat stopped and Willie told police his name was Michael Henry. He claimed he was a dog breeder who had been in Swansea to buy a dog. But a search of the car uncovered a Nike rucksack containing 207g of cannabis worth around £2,500, a plastic carrier bag containing bundles of cash, and a pick-axe handle. When Willie's fingerprints were taken his real identity was revealed.
Willie, of Nelson Road, Enfield, pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis with intent to supply, being concerned in the supply of cannabis, possession of criminal property, and dangerous driving. Abdullah, of Burdett Road, Tower Hamlets, admitted possession of cannabis with intent to supply and being concerned in the supply of cannabis. On top of her suspended prison term, Abdullah was ordered to complete 100 hours of unpaid work and a rehabilitation programme. You can read the full details from the sentencing here.
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