A drug dealing gang member who went on the run in Spain has been ordered to pay back more than £40,000 in illicit earnings.
Dean Garforth had benefited by over £1,530,000 from his criminal lifestyle and was still in possession of £40,331 worth of assets, Cheshire Constabulary said.
He was sentenced to 18 years and eight months in prison in 2024 after admitting conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs and transferring prohibited weapons and ammunition.
The 32-year-old, who previously lived in Widnes, Cheshire, was arrested in Marbella in 2022 after being on the run for two years.
Garforth was called back to Chester Crown Court on 11 February where he was ordered to pay back the sum – which included 50% of the equity in his home and the value of his KTM off-road motorcycle.
Det Ch Insp Nick Henderson, of the serious and organised crime unit, said the confiscation order sent “a strong message that Cheshire Constabulary takes the recovery of the proceeds of crime seriously”.
“It highlights the importance of asset recovery considerations, running throughout an investigation to maximise the opportunities to recover significant sums, derived from criminality,” he said.
“The financial investigator in this case worked tirelessly to accomplish this result through a tenacious and diligent approach to the investigation, leaving no stone unturned in pursuit of asset recovery.”
