British drug dealer loses 19 million baht after Bangkok stash found
A British drug dealer caught with class A gear on the M6 motorway in England had a hidden haul of cash stashed in a Thai bank account. Now, the drug runner is paying the price after been hit by a 19 million baht bill (£426,000) alongside some prison time.
Gary Boone, from West Street, Bridgwater, Somerset, was brought to justice after police caught him red-handed with cocaine on the M6 in Cheshire, only for financial sleuths to later uncover a hidden haul of drug cash stashed in Bangkok.
It all kicked off in July 2023, when Merseyside Police tipped off their Cheshire counterparts about a suspicious car cruising the motorway near Warrington. That vehicle, a grey Mazda CX-5 driven by the 62 year old Boone, was soon tracked down heading south near Knutsford by the roads and crime unit.
Officers pulled him over and searched the car, uncovering a sack and a sandwich bag filled with white powder, plus a small wrap of cannabis. A mobile phone and a wad of cash were also seized on the spot.
Forensic analysis later confirmed Boone was carrying 500 grammes of high-grade cocaine, worth up to £50,000 (2.2 million baht) along with an extra stash in the sandwich bag valued at £1,350 (59,000 baht). The cannabis was also confirmed.
Boone pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply class A drugs and possession of class B drugs, according to Knutsford Guardian. He was sentenced to four years behind bars at Chester Crown Court in September 2023.
But the real sting came after his sentencing, when Cheshire Police’s economic crime unit launched a deep-dive into his finances under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
And that’s when things really unravelled.
Investigators uncovered more than £150,000 (6.6 million baht) squirrelled away in a Bangkok bank account, alongside other assets, bringing Boone’s available stash to a total of £179,490.
In total, they estimated he raked in more than £380,000 through drug dealing.
At a confiscation hearing held on Monday, April 7, Chester Crown Court slapped Boone with a bill of £425,169.10, an amount that will hang over him for life unless he pays up.
Economic crime
Financial Investigator (FI) Kirsten Jones, who led the operation, shed more light on the case.
“Boone is still serving a four-year sentence as a consequence of his actions. But he will have the cloud of this £425,000-plus payment hanging over his head for the rest of his days.
“This sends a clear message that the economic crime unit takes the recovery of the ill-gotten gains of criminals very seriously.”
Detective Sergeant Keeley Powles praised the team effort.
“The fantastic investigation by FI Jones means that the £179,490 worth of assets, found within the offshore bank account, is now available and will be paid immediately.
“It’s rare in cases to find such high-value assets that we are able to strip away from criminals.
“We will continue to work tirelessly to hit those who supply drugs and profit from crime, and take back what they’ve stolen from society.”
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