A Cardiff drug dealer, who made a staggering £200k, has been ordered to pay back just £29,000 after police found over a kilo of cocaine and nearly £28,000 in cash. The illicit stash was hidden beneath a child’s car seat when officers swooped in. Liam Gonzalez, 37, and his accomplice Habinder Baines, 38, were nabbed by the police when Baines, who travelled from Birmingham, was spotted on a street in Llanishen. Feeling the heat, Gonzalez tried to hide, but it was too late. Both were quickly cuffed on suspicion of drug offences.
In a surprising twist, Baines confessed to having £24,000 in cash during a car search. Officers then discovered a bag containing £27,900, complete with Gonzalez’s fingerprints. Meanwhile, an orange bag with a whopping 1.1kg of cocaine with a wholesale value up to £30,000 was revealed under a booster seat. Interestingly, Gonzalez’s DNA wasn’t found on this bag. A further house search uncovered weapons at Gonzalez’s home, which he claimed were for his daughter’s protection, while Baines’ place yielded digital scales, phones, and £800 cash.
In court, Gonzalez was handed six years and nine months behind bars, while Baines got four years and four months. The court noted Gonzalez had previously been convicted for cannabis production. Despite benefiting £210,000 from his crimes, Gonzalez now has to repay only £29,330, reflecting his available assets. Failure to pay within three months could extend his stay behind bars by nine months. Crime doesn’t always pay, but sometimes the bill is surprisingly low!