Drug Dealer Earns £36,000, Must Pay Just £2,120 After Sentence

This guy was dealing drugs. He drove between Cardiff and Birmingham, where he routinely picked up Class A drugs. He made over £35,000 from his illegal activities, with one trip alone involving about £200,000 worth of cocaine.

Ethan Ernest, 30, was stopped by police on the M50 on April 14. He was driving a Peugeot 308. Police acted on information received from a crime unit, noting that Ernest visited Birmingham quickly before returning to Cardiff.

A search of his car revealed 248g of cocaine, valued between £7,000 and £10,000. The prosecutor, Thomas Stanway, presented these findings to the court. Ernest also possessed cannabis and cash. He had 0.6g of cannabis and £2,210 in cash.

His expired driving licence was another infraction. Furthermore, police discovered scales and bags at his home, further indicating his involvement in drug dealing. His phone records showed 15 trips between Cardiff and Birmingham from July 2023 to March 2024.

During these trips, using four different cars, he collected approximately 2kg of cocaine, worth £56,000 to £80,000. This amount could yield up to £200,000 in street deals. Ernest admitted to drug supply and possession charges, as well as driving offences. The court sentenced him to seven years and two months in prison.

A subsequent court hearing addressed his illicit profits. It was determined that he gained £36,411 from his criminal enterprise. However, he only had £2,120 in assets. The judge ordered him to pay this amount within 28 days, or face an additional month in jail.