“It is only right that those who have preyed upon the weakest members of our society be held accountable.”
A Wigan drug dealer who was caught in 2020 with large amounts of cash and cannabis has been forced by a judge to return about £70,000 of his illicit profits, which he initially claimed to be his Christmas money when questioned by police.
When Greater Manchester Police raided the Platt Bridge house of Stewart Melling, 35, more than three years ago, they discovered about £15,000 in cash, burner phones, and cannabis valued at £45,000. He was sentenced to 12 months in prison for his drug peddling after entering a guilty plea to possession with the intent to provide Class B substances.
Unfortunately for Melling, however, GMP investigators were able to immediately connect big quantities of money to his illicit activities. This meant that on Friday, February 9, a judge gave him an order to return an astounding £69,862.71 of his illicit proceeds within the following three months, failing which he would serve an additional year in jail.
“This is just another way we go after criminals,” stated GMP Wigan Challenger Organised Crime Group Detective Inspector Pat Wood. In order to ensure that the criminals are unable to maintain their luxurious lifestyles after being freed from prison, our specialized Challenger team, who are taking on organized crime, will use all of the resources at their disposal to hit them where it hurts—in their pocketbook.We believe that a belief is insufficient on its own, and that those who have taken advantage of the weakest members of our society in order to finance their opulent lifestyles ought to be held accountable in order to benefit the larger community.
Leave a Reply