Jailed drug dealers ordered to pay back more than £40,000
Chatham drug dealers jailed in December have been ordered to pay back more than £40,000. Abdul Halim, 27, and Abdul Hakim, 28, both of Charles Street, Chatham, were jailed after officers found 12 bags of cannabis inside ABZ BBQ Kitchen in Batchelor Street and £15,000 cash and 139 grams of cannabis and cocaine inside two addresses in Charles Street. The cash and drugs were found following a warrant which was executed on Monday 18 January 2016. At the second address, a safe containing over £45,000 was located. All the cash was seized under the Proceeds of Crime Act. Both Halim and Hakim were jailed for two years on Tuesday 5 December 2017 after they pleaded guilty to one count each of conspiracy to supply cannabis, being concerned in the production of cannabis and money laundering. The pair were brought back before Maidstone Crown Court on Wednesday 2 May 2018 and were both ordered to pay back £20,340 each. Detective Chief Inspector Lee Morton, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate said: ‘Both men were ordered to pay back this money as part of the Proceeds of Crime Act which ensures that they do not financially benefit from their ill-gotten gains. ‘Not only are they behind bars but now they have to pay back this money I hope it serves as a wakeup call and they realise just how much these bad choices have affected their life.’
