Tunbridge Wells Drug Dealer Hit With £300K Crime Cash Payback Order
William Ferguson, a convicted cocaine kingpin from Tunbridge Wells, faces a massive payout of over £300,000 in criminal profits. The order comes after his conviction for running a large-scale drug operation across Kent.
Locked Up for 13 Years, More Jail Time If He Skips Payment
Ferguson is serving 13-and-a-half years for wholesale cocaine supply. He could get an extra three years if he fails to cough up the cash. Prosecutors say he was a key player in a ruthless drug network moving huge amounts of Class A drugs, using the encrypted EncroChat platform to keep their dealings under wraps.
How He Got Caught
Between March and June 2020, Ferguson bought kilo-blocks of cocaine in conspiracy with other EncroChat users. He pleaded guilty in January 2022 to multiple conspiracy charges involving cocaine, amphetamine, and cannabis.
Cracking Down on Crime Cash
After his sentencing, police used the Proceeds of Crime Act to seize Ferguson’s ill-gotten gains. At maidstone/" title="Maidstone" data-wpil-keyword-link="linked">Maidstone Crown Court on 5 June 2024, it was revealed he benefited by nearly £770,000. With just £311,007 currently accessible, he has three months to pay the full amount or face further jail time.
Detective Inspector Dave Godfrey said: “Ferguson played a lead role in supplying cocaine on a commercial scale. While he received a strong prison sentence in 2022, our ongoing work has ensured he cannot profit from his crimes. This court order lets us permanently seize assets in his name — from bank accounts to designer clothes and handbags sold at auction. Some recovered funds will be returned to local communities for everyone’s benefit.”
