Two convicted drug dealers from Merthyr Tydfil have been ordered to pay back more than £25,000 under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

They were jailed for seven years after police struck lucky and found approximately £10,000 worth of crack cocaine in a Dowlais property which they were searching in connection with a shoplifting offence back in May, 2018.

Jordan Donahue, 28, from Penydarren was ordered to pay back £21, 111.80, and Samuel Thomas, 32, from Galon Uchaf, was ordered to pay back £3,970 at a Proceeds of Crime hearing at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court today (12 June, 2020).

Under the Proceeds of Crime Act, failure to pay back the full amount in cash or assets will result in their prison sentences being extended.

And upon any eventual release from prison, the debt will remain owed which can have a significant impact upon their lifestyles as they will be monitored by financial investigators.

Detective Constable Tom Evans said: “The Proceeds of Crime Act ensures that crime doesn’t pay for a convicted criminal who cannot prove that they have earned assets though legitimate means.

“Gone are the days when somebody can come to terms with ‘doing the time’ knowing they will return to a life when they’ll still enjoy their ill-gotten gains.”

Money seized from criminals is reinvested back into the Criminal Justice system, with proceeds being distributed between the Crime Prosecution Service, the Home Office, and the police service, often helping to fight crime in communities affected by that criminal’s activities.