The leader of a drugs gang that flooded Swindon with heroin and crack cocaine made almost £100,000 from his crimes.
But Ali Dini wasn’t present at the proceeds of crime hearing at Swindon Crown Court yesterday – as he’s still on the run.
The 35-year-old was sentenced in his absence in February to seven years and two months’ imprisonment. Judge Jason Taylor QC said at the time: “He was directing, organising, buying and selling on what I consider cumulatively to be a commercial scale.”
Prosecutors hoped to claw back some of his ill-gotten gains. At a proceeds of crime hearing on Thursday morning, he was ruled to have made £95,450 from his criminal activities. He had just £10 – a nominal amount – available with which to pay back the state.
After a question from Dini’s barrister whether the order was necessary given her client had only £10 with which to reimburse the authorities, Judge Taylor said: “It serves a purpose for this reason. If somebody has benefited from crime then that should be recognised.”
Dini remains at large.
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