Dealer caught after car crash leads police to find stash of illegal drug money

A drug dealer who led a luxury lifestyle funded by the profits of his illegal activity has been jailed for more than ten years.

Police officers discovered bundles of cash in Tony Fisher’s car after he was involved in a collision on January 9, 2021.

This led officers to carry out a search of his house in County Durham where they located 100grams of cocaine, which had a street value of nearly £10,000.

The 39-year-old’s mobile phone, which was seized during the search, showed messages arranging drug deals, and photographs and videos of drugs and cash were also found.

During searches of the property, invoices were found showing purchases for several cars, car insurance, a caravan and cosmetic procedures, which together with the cash found totalled more than £250,000.

Many of these payments were done so in cash and during a time in which Fisher had been unemployed for a significant period.

Officers were already investigating Fisher in September 2020 after intelligence suggested he may be involved in illegal activity and during that visit to his house more than £10,300 in cash was found.

At Durham Crown Court earlier this month, Fisher was jailed for 126 months after pleading guilty to possession of criminal property to the value of £252,661 between January 2016 and August 2022, possession with intent to supply Class A drug cocaine on January 9, 2021, and being concerned in the supply of Class A drug cocaine between October 2018 and January 2021.

Stephen Millward, of Durham Constabulary's Economic Crime Unit, said: “Drugs bring misery to our communities so we will always do everything in our power to stop and disrupt those supplying and dealing these substances.

“No one should be able to benefit from the money made from this illegal activity. Fisher thought he could live a life that was beyond his legal means but during our investigation it was clear to see what he was up to.

“It has been a lengthy, but thorough investigation to get uncover his criminal activity but now he can reflect on his actions behind bars.”