Drug dealer caught in Spain pleads guilty as properties worth £1.5m seized

A drug dealer extradited from Spain has pleaded guilty to smuggling cocaine and heroin after police seized property worth around £1.5m.

Richard Baxter, 50, also admitted money laundering and was a key player in a gang that distributed hundreds of kilos of class A drugs, the Metropolitan Police said.

He pleaded guilty at Kingston Crown Court on Friday and will be sentenced on 5 December.

Police said cash from the drug dealing was laundered through various companies in an attempt to disguise the source.

Baxter was arrested by Spanish police in Valencia and UK officers said he had a home in Surrey and several other properties in southeast England, including a holiday chalet.

All have now been seized.

Detective Constable David Lawn, who led the investigation, said: “We have zero tolerance for anyone who engages in criminal activities and are committed to combat the sale of dangerous and illegal drugs which pose a threat to the public.

“The Met are deploying specialist resources to tackle drug criminality and make the capital a safer place to live.”

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DC Lawn added: “Baxter’s conviction sends out a strong message to those who seek to profit from illegal drug trade: you will be held accountable for your actions in front of the court.”