A DRUG dealer has been jailed for over five years – and forced to cough up some of the money he made through his crimes.

Alan Murphy, 50, of Hamilton Road, was arrested on April 16 last year after police raided a property and seized cash and drugs.

He was charged with two counts of possession with intent to supply class A drugs and a further two counts of possession of a class B drug.

At Taunton Crown Court last week, Murphy was sentenced to five years and four months in jail.

A Proceeds of Crime Act confiscation order was also made, which declared Murphy had benefitted from crime to the value of £4,572.56. 

He was ordered to pay back £1,497.56 – all that was available from the money seized by officers.

Dr Kirstie Cogram, manager of the Avon and Somerset Financial Investigation Unit, said: "We are committed to seizing all assets that criminals have gained as a result of crime.

“It is not acceptable that criminals benefit from illegal activities and we will relentlessly pursue them through the courts to ensure their money is taken. By doing this we show criminals that they will not benefit from crime and deter others from entering a life of crime."

Police estimate that one person in seven knows somebody living off the proceeds of crime.

For more information on making criminals pay, click here or call the charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800-555111 or via this link.