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Cannabis dealer jailed for 4 years after police trace his bitcoin payments and seize crypto and cash
North Yorkshire Police began investigating Dack in 2023 after receiving information about suspected drug dealing. During the inquiry, officers arrested him on several occasions, but police said he continued his activities despite those encounters.
According to the force, evidence gathered during the investigation established that Dack was heavily involved in supplying cannabis on a large scale. Financial investigators examined the movement of money and assets to determine how the proceeds of the alleged criminal enterprise were handled.
A report prepared by North Yorkshire Police financial investigator Amy Monkman identified substantial cash movements and cryptocurrency activity associated with the drug supply operation. Investigators also examined information recovered from Dack’s phone, which helped them identify digital transactions connected to buying and selling drugs.
Detective Constable Alfie Thomlinson of the North Yorkshire Police Major Investigation Team said the evidence established the extent of Dack’s involvement.
“Throughout numerous interviews, Dack either remained silent or no comment but the evidence spoke for itself – Dack was heavily involved in the supply of Cannabis on a large scale,” Thomlinson said.
He also credited the financial investigation with helping officers establish the connection between drug dealing and the money generated by the operation.
The findings demonstrate why financial tracing has become an important component of investigations into illicit finance. Rather than concentrating solely on drugs and arrests, investigators can examine bank records, cryptocurrency transactions, physical cash and valuable possessions to build a broader picture of suspected criminal activity.
One of the significant findings in Dack’s case was the use of cryptocurrency in transactions linked to drug dealing. Investigators gained access to information on his phone and identified cryptocurrency activity associated with payments for drugs.
Monkman explained that digital assets can create opportunities for offenders attempting to disguise the movement or ownership of funds. However, she stressed that police have investigative capabilities designed to trace cryptocurrency transactions and identify assets suspected of being connected to criminal conduct.
“Cryptocurrency is becoming a popular method for concealing assets and disguising the movement of funds,” Monkman said.
The statement reflects a growing law enforcement focus on digital currencies in cases involving illicit finance. Although cryptocurrency transactions can involve pseudonymous addresses, activity recorded on public blockchains may provide investigators with evidence that helps connect transactions to individuals or suspected offences.
The extent to which cryptocurrency provides anonymity depends on the asset, the platform used and the methods employed to move funds. Investigators may combine blockchain transaction analysis with information obtained from mobile devices, exchanges and other financial records to establish links between digital assets and suspected criminal activity.
In Dack’s case, the investigation identified a Bitcoin balance worth approximately £4,104 at the time reported. Police subsequently seized the Bitcoin as part of their efforts to identify and preserve assets potentially connected to the proceeds of crime.
Officers also seized £7,580 in cash. The money is being preserved ahead of a hearing scheduled for March 2027 under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
The hearing will determine the financial benefit obtained through criminal conduct and the amount that may be confiscated. The proceedings are separate from the criminal sentence imposed by the court and will establish the financial consequences of the case.
Cryptocurrency was not the only asset category examined during the investigation. Police also found evidence that Dack had acquired luxury items, including Rolex watches, which investigators said formed part of his efforts to conceal income from drug dealing.
High-value goods can become relevant to financial crime investigations because they may hold substantial value while being easier to transfer or store than large amounts of cash. However, establishing whether a particular asset represents criminal proceeds requires evidence connecting it to the suspected unlawful activity.
The investigation into Dack involved examining different forms of wealth to establish how money from the cannabis operation had been handled. This approach allowed financial investigators to identify assets that could potentially be subject to confiscation proceedings.
Monkman said the force was prepared to pursue criminal proceeds identified through cryptocurrency investigations.
“North Yorkshire Police have the tools to investigate the use of cryptocurrency and seize criminal funds,” she said.
She added that the force’s Economic Crime Unit was committed to identifying and seizing benefits derived from criminal activity.
The case underscores the importance of investigating both the original offence and the financial arrangements surrounding it. For law enforcement, tracing assets can help establish the scale of a criminal operation and support efforts to prevent offenders from retaining financial benefits after conviction.
The planned confiscation hearing in March 2027 will determine the next stage of the financial proceedings against Dack. Until that hearing, the identified cash remains preserved, while the seized Bitcoin forms part of the assets identified during the investigation into illicit finance.
Thomlinson said the conviction was an important outcome but warned that the force’s work against drug-related crime would continue.
“We are pleased with today’s outcome, but our work does not stop there – we will continue to take a firm stance against drug-related crime in our area and work closely with community partners to reduce the irrefutable harm caused by drugs, especially its impact on vulnerable people in our communities,” he said.
The officer also emphasised the contribution of financial investigator Amy Monkman, whose work helped establish evidence concerning the drug supply operation and the money it generated.
Dack’s sentence followed his admission to the three offences relating to cannabis supply and criminal property. Separately, on May 28, he pleaded not guilty to assaulting an emergency worker in an incident on April 22 while a police officer was arresting him. That allegation was allowed to remain on file, meaning it was not dealt with through a conviction in the reported proceedings.
The case demonstrates how investigations into illicit finance can support drug-related prosecutions by following money across several asset types. Cryptocurrency, cash and luxury goods may all become relevant when authorities seek to establish the financial benefits of criminal conduct.
For North Yorkshire Police, the investigation also highlights the role of specialist economic crime teams in identifying and preserving assets for potential confiscation. The forthcoming hearing will determine how much of the identified financial benefit can legally be recovered under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
While Dack has received his prison sentence, the financial proceedings remain outstanding. The case therefore has two distinct outcomes: criminal punishment for the admitted offences and a separate determination of the financial benefits that may be confiscated.
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