A career cannabis dealer from Wigton who stashed £120,000 criminal profits inside safes at his parents’ home has been jailed for two years.
Carlisle Crown Court heard 48-year-old Stewart Tonks had previous class B drug supply crimes on his record which dated back to 1995 and 2009.
Tonks was caught out again on the morning of July 31 this year when police officers executed a warrant at his home.
Cannabis with a potential street value of £1,182 was found inside his address, most in a red Celebrations tub.
A cannabis grinder, digital scales, snap bags and a smart phone was also recovered.
On the same morning, a further warrant was executed at the home of Tonks’ parents.
A large quality of cash in bundles of £10 and £20 notes was recovered from various locations, including a number of safes.
“Officers asked who the safes belonged to,” prosecutor Julian Goode told Carlisle Crown Court today.
“The defendant’s mother whispered ‘they are Stewart’s’.”
The total amount of cash seized was £146,450, although the prosecution accepted that around £26,000 belonged, legitimately, to the parents.
Tonks later admitted the possession of cannabis with intent to supply, and criminal property.
Jailing Tonks, of Union Street, for two years, Judge Guy Mathieson said of the £120,000 profit: “That must represent, £120,000, a very lengthy, in effect, career of dealing cannabis, something you clearly took seriously; something which earned you a vast amount of money you had no way of earning or gaining legitimately.
“Living your life, you still managed to save £120,000. Quite what your take-home pay was from this criminality is hard to estimate.”
Judge Guy Mathieson approved a timetable which will be followed to determine exactly how much Tonks benefited from his criminal enterprise.
Speaking after the sentence, Detective Constable Linzi Wilkinson said “Cumbria Constabulary is committed to pursuing anyone and everyone connected to the supply of drugs in the county.
“Tonks had also accumulated a significant amount of money through dealing cannabis which he then concealed in another property.
“Today’s result shows the consequences that await those who are caught being involved in dealing drugs.
“Our investigations into drugs crime relies on intelligence and information and we would urge anyone who has seen or knows of anything suspicious to contact us.”
