Drug dealer who splashed out on life of luxury ordered to pay back just £96,000

Daily Record

7 hours ago

Danielle Stafford, 31, splashed out on tens of thousands of pounds on glitzy watches and Louis Vuitton bags.
A drug dealer who splashed out on a luxury life has been ordered to pay back just £96,000 after her operation was unravelled by pure chance.
Danielle Stafford, 31, formerly of Hallgate, Cottingham, was jailed for seven-and-a-half years in April 2023. She admitted to three offences of being concerned in supplying heroin, crack cocaine and cannabis, and another of possessing cash as criminal property, on dates spanning October 2017 to May 2020.
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She was sent down at Hull Crown Court. The court heard how Stafford, a University of Hull graduate and former engineer, had splashed out on nine watches and three Louis Vuitton handbags.
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The case was heard again at the same court recently, where prosecutors determined how much money Stafford made from her criminal activities. Prosecutor Nadim Bashir said a criminal benefit figure had been agreed at £96,263.
Stafford has been ordered to repay the funds within three months. If she fails to do so, she will face more jail time.
Stafford was snared by cops after she was clocked speeding in 2020. The motor was stopped by police, where she "immediately lied", telling cops: "Ill be honest, I've got this" and went on to hand a small silver wrap containing two buds of cannabis skunk.
Police went on to find cannabis on her, including a food bag containing cannabis skunk and, from a pocket, another food bag containing cannabis skunk. While on the way to the police station, Stafford was seen "fidgeting" with her jogging bottoms and was asked if she had more drugs hidden.
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She then pulled out a bag containing a large amount of small bags of cocaine. Police said there were 56 wraps, valued at £2,800. When police searched her property in Cottingham, they found cocaine valued at £13,500 and an estimated £4,100 of heroin in a jar. Stafford denied knowledge of them.
An estimated £2,500 of herbal cannabis was found in an empty banana box and bank notes totalling £670 as well as £2,350 and £1,480 in cash. More cash, valued at £7,580 was found in a safe, but she denied it was hers.
Mr Bashir said Stafford was an "enthusiastic" cannabis dealer and had become a cocaine dealer.
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He added: "The natural result of this was that she was able to accumulate a substantial amount of wealth, including purchasing an investment property, a house to rent. Cash found in her home address amounted to £26,917.
"The contents of her home address in Hallgate, Cottingham, is strong evidence of the nature of her drugs business. The amount, type and value of drugs found at her home were substantial. The drugs alone were street valued at £33,600. This is sustained drug dealing."