A drug dealer who flaunted a luxury lifestyle including three Rolex watches and fast cars must repay nearly £400,000 or serve an additional four-year prison sentence, a court has ruled.
Leeds Crown Court heard on Monday how Curtis Clark, 25, amassed significant wealth through his involvement in an organised crime group that controlled a major drug dealing operation across Leeds and West Yorkshire. The criminal enterprise supplied substantial quantities of Class A and B drugs throughout the region.
Officers who raided properties linked to Clark in November 2024 discovered the extent of his ill-gotten gains. Search warrants executed at his Whitkirk home and other premises under his control uncovered more than £270,000 in cash, two motor vehicles, a large quantity of designer clothing and three Rolex watches valued at £100,000.
Clark received a 65-month prison sentence in August last year after admitting charges of being concerned in the supply of Class A and B drugs and money laundering. His conviction followed investigations that established his connection to the organised crime network operating the drug line.
Under a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing held this week, Clark was given three months to pay back £393,363.77 or face a consecutive four-year term added to his existing sentence. The confiscation order targets the assets and wealth he accumulated through criminal activity.
Detective Inspector Alastair Nicholls stated that organised criminality represented a blight on communities, with individuals like Clark preying on vulnerable people for personal gain. During Clark’s original sentencing hearing, the court was told he “loved the lifestyle” afforded by his criminal proceeds, including his collection of Rolex watches and expensive vehicles.
The detective inspector confirmed the POCA hearing ensures Clark will not return to that lifestyle upon his release from prison. “Instead, his assets will be sold and the money recovered will go towards projects to disrupt criminality and build communities,” he stated.
Nicholls added: “I hope this action sends the message that if you are profiting from crime then we will not only look to arrest and charge you, but we will also use all available powers to strip you of any wealth you have gained from your illegal activities.”
The Proceeds of Crime Act enables courts to recover assets obtained through criminal conduct, with seized funds typically redirected towards community safety initiatives and programmes designed to combat organised crime. Clark’s luxury items and cash holdings will be sold if the payment order is not satisfied within the three-month timeframe.
Failure to meet the confiscation deadline will result in the automatic activation of the four-year default sentence, which would run consecutively to his current 65-month term. The extended imprisonment period serves as enforcement mechanism for POCA orders when convicted criminals cannot or will not pay.
