(Image: Durham Constabulary)
A County Durham drug dealer who enjoyed a luxury lifestyle splashing out on luxury cars and holidays made a a staggering £838,000 from selling hard drugs.
But Tony Fisher’s realisable assets amount to only £33,112, including cash seized when he was arrested.
Police found bundles of notes in Fisher’s car after he was involved in a crash in January 2021.
A search of his Durham home uncovered cocaine worth almost £10,000 on the street.
Jailed drug dealer Tony Fisher benefited to the tune of £838k from his illegal activities, but assets of only £33,112 can be recovered from him
Searches of his home uncovered invoices revealing purchases for several vehicles, car insurance, a caravan and cosmetic procedures, which along with the cash found, totalled more than £250,000.
He made many of the payments in cash while unemployed for a significant period.
The court heard that officers had been investigating Fisher in September 2020 after intelligence linked him to illegal activity.
A visit to his home at that stage uncovered more than £10,300 in cash.
Fisher, of The Moorlands, Gilesgate, Durham, at the time and later of Twelfth Street, Horden, was jailed for 10-years-and-six months, at Durham Crown Court on May 1.
He admitted possessing criminal property worth £252,661, between January 2016 and August 2022, possessing cocaine with intent to supply, on January 9, 2021, and being involved in supplying the class A drug between October 2018 and January 2021.
Speaking after Fisher was sentenced, Stephen Millward, of Durham Police's Economic Crime Unit, said: “Drugs bring misery to our communities so we will always do everything in our power to stop and disrupt those supplying and dealing these substances.
“No one should be able to benefit from the money made from this illegal activity.
“Fisher thought he could live a life that was beyond his legal means but during our investigation it was clear to see what he was up to.
“It has been a lengthy, but thorough investigation to uncover his criminal activity but now he can reflect on his actions behind bars.”
Fisher, now 40, appeared by video link from HMP Lindholme, near Doncaster, for a Proceeds of Crime Act settlement hearing on Tuesday (October 6).
The court agreed Fisher had benefited from his crimes by £838,721, but he had only £33,112 in realisable assets.
That figure includes a Porsche mountain bike worth £2,000, the final asset counted towards his benefit.
Judge Nathan Adams ordered Fisher to pay the full £33,112 within three months or face another 18 months in prison.
The court heard that £226,000 of unexplained income passed through Fisher's bank account while he and his mother were receiving benefits.