A DRUG dealer jailed for three years made just £38,000 from crime.

Lester Gibson was caught with heroin and cocaine worth £30,000 and £23,000 in cash when police raided his Newport home.

Officers also found Louis Vuitton and Burberry bags and a £2,000 Tag Heuer watch at his address.

The defendant was sent to prison for three years and four months last July.

At a proceeds of crime hearing at Newport Crown Court, Judge Eugene Egan was told Gibson had benefited by £38,332.43 from drug dealing.

He has £11,922.66 which is available to be seized.

Claire Wilks, prosecuting, said: “The vast amount of that is in a bank account which can be transferred very quickly.”

She added that some assets will be auctioned.

Gibson has six months to hand over the full amount or spend an extra eight months behind bars.

During the defendant’s sentencing in 2023, Cardiff Crown Court was told the designer goods found in his home had been stolen following a burglary in the Malpas Road area of Newport.

Nik Strobl, prosecuting, said nearly 200g of heroin and 128g of cocaine was seized at the 44-year-old defendant’s address.

Gibson, of Itchen Road, Bettws admitted possession of heroin with intent to supply, possession of cocaine with intent to supply, money laundering and handling stolen goods.

He has 72 previous convictions for 194 offences which include prison sentence for causing grievous bodily harm and being concerned in the supply of a class B drug.

Kevin Seal, mitigating, asked the court to take into account his client’s guilty pleas.

His barrister added how the defendant was free from drugs since his time in jail after being remanded in custody following his arrest.

Judge Niclas Parry told Gibson: “This was a big operation.

“You weren’t a big cog, but you were an important smaller cog and you have been involved at various stages of this criminality.

“Burglary of people’s homes is one of the offences that results from the criminality of drugs and these people lost valuable property.

“This was a significant loss and the burglars knew where to go.

“They knew where to get rid of the stuff – they went to you because you were prepared to handle them.

“And when that was traced, a very significant amount of drugs, over £30,000 worth, and a significant amount of money, over £23,000 was found, and clearly you are involved in the large scale supply of class A drugs.

“Then of course the matter is aggravated dreadfully by that criminal record of 194 offences.”