Court seizes £250,000 from jailed cannabis dealer

Thursday 06 August 2015

More than a quarter of a million pounds has been seized from a convicted drug dealer serving an eight-year sentence over a “massive amount” of cannabis.

After four days of hearings, the Royal Court yesterday approved the seizure of £252,392 from Liam Norris, based on the money he made from drug dealing.

They also ordered the seizure of £12,000 from his father Richard for his role in the dealing.

The pair were jailed in October 2013 after admitting drug trafficking charges relating to the seizure of drugs and cash in raids in Jersey and the UK the previous year, made after a joint operation between detectives in Jersey and Burton-on-Trent, and the Jersey Customs and Immigration department.

Liam Norris was arrested in Jersey after police watched him supply an associate with drugs, and at exactly the same time UK police arrested Richard Norris in Staffordshire in possession of a quarter of a ton of cannabis that was awaiting shipment to Jersey.

Yesterday afternoon, they sat in the dock flanked by prison officers as the Superior Number of the Royal Court – which only sits to hear the most serious criminal cases – announced that they would grant the confiscation orders sought by prosecutors, judging that Liam Norris had made £1.8 million from drug dealing and describing him as “a completely unreliable witness”.

But they refused to allow prosecutors to seize Richard Norris’ house – saying it would be unjust to take away the home of his wife and children.