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An international drug dealer will have just months to pay back a large chunk of his ill-gotten gains after making more than £8million from his crimes.
Micheal Orishadare, from Aylesford, played a key role in a crime syndicate responsible for supplying around 250kg of cocaine, heroin and firearms and used the money he made to splash out on high end watches including Pique and Rolexes.
He was jailed in April after being found to be a trusted supplier of a Luton-based organised crime group (OCG) which also distributed firearms nationwide.
The 32-year-old, who lives in New Hythe Lane, is currently serving a 24-year sentence but faces more time behind bars if he does not cough up the cash he made within three months.
Orishadare’s connections in the Netherlands helped him to bring vast quantities of drugs to the UK through Tilbury Docks, in Essex, for the gang which distributed large amounts of cocaine, heroin and firearms nationwide.
He was convicted following an Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) investigation.
Officers from the branch calculated his activities could have earned the gang £8million through illegal means.
Investigators analysed his available assets and cash and got court orders to ensure anything he had was used to repay the money.
This included severval high-end watches including a Piquet 18ct watch – worth £78,000 new – and two Rolex’s worth a combined £69,450 when new.
At Luton Crown Court on Thursday, January 23, Orishadare was ordered to repay an initial £132,030, based on the watches and cash which were seized on arrest and belonged to him.
He must repay the full amount within three months, or face an additional three-year custodial sentence. He would still then be required to pay the agreed total.
Financial investigators will continue inquiries in the future until the full amount is paid.
ERSOU’s Regional Organise Crime Unit (ROCU) conducted its investigation as part of Operation Venetic - an international police campaign which uncovered thousands of message exchanges by criminals using the EncroChat communications tool.
Detectives identified that Orishadare was behind the Encrochat handle ‘InternationalDon’ and that he had supplied in the region of 250kg of heroin and cocaine.
Financial investigation manager Jemima Cholmondeley-Smith, from ERSOU’s regional organised crime unit, said: “I am pleased that following substantial imprisonment for the initial investigation, we have subsequently been able to strip Orishadare from the identifiable cash and assets that he made through the course of his criminal activities.
“Using Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) legislation, we have been able to pursue Orishadare with a court order that demands payment or face an extension of prison time.”