Luton drug dealers forced to pay back over £110K after officers find hidden assets in Jamaica

Derrick Fray, 40, and Ryan Kirkpatrick, 36, both of Ella Court, Luton, were sentenced in 2017 following an investigation by the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU) into a drugs line based in the town.

The investigation was featured in an episode of ’24 Hours in Police Custody’ last year.

Following a Proceeds of Crime hearing on Friday (22 February) Fray, who was sentenced to five years and four months in the original investigation, was ordered to pay back £75,974.24.

Fellow gang member Kirkpatrick, who also received a jail term of five years and four month in 2017, will have to pay back £41,232.39.

Both men will have three months to pay the funds.

At court, ERSOU’s financial investigators successfully argued that a property and piece of land in Jamaica were ‘hidden assets’ funded by the duo’s drug dealing.

Steve Keating, ERSOU’s financial investigation manager, said: “This sends out a clear message that crime doesn’t pay and we will be relentless in our pursuit of assets obtained from the proceeds of crime.

“Our team has shown great tenacity and dedication to track assets across the globe and ensure this criminal enterprise will not be able to enjoy the fruits of its labour.”