Market Harborough Drug Dealer Jailed

Paul Johnson
Pic: Leicestershire Police

A Market Harborough man who ran a sophisticated on-line drug dealing business has been jailed for eight years.

Paul Johnson distributed substances including heroin, MDMA, LSD and ketamine from his home on Northampton Road.

The 32-year-old was trafficking drugs from a number of countries and using three rented properties as delivery addresses.

Leicester Crown Court heard when Police raided his house drugs worth nearly £7,000 were seized.

Johnson – who admitted several drugs and money laundering offences – had been dealing in the cryptocurrency and had accrued the equivalent of £300,00 in Bitcoin wallets as a result.

A second person, Lia Johnson, 28, of Northampton Road, Market Harborough has been handed a two-year suspended sentence for money laundering.

Paul Wenlock from Leicestershire Police’s Economic Crime Unit, said: “Johnson used the internet to commit his crimes, he ran an organised business enterprise and traded in cryptocurrency in an attempt to hide his criminal activity from the authorities.  He used his criminal gains to purchase a property and cars.

“This is one of a handful of cases nationally where cryptocurrency has been used in this way. This result is the testament to the knowledge and experience of the digital media investigators who quickly identified what Johnson was doing online and were able to secure the bitcoins.

“This was a lengthy and complex investigation carried out by financial investigators within the unit. The evidence against Johnson was overwhelming and he had no choice but to admit to his crimes.  He may not have traded drugs on the street but he knew exactly what he was doing and it’s only right that he now faces a lengthy custodial sentence.”