A Norwich woman turned up to a police interview driving a car bought with the funds of drug dealing on the dark web.
Officers investigating her for money laundering were shocked to see Louise Daniels brazenly park the Mini Cooper outside Wymondham Police Investigation Centre.
Norwich Crown Court heard she became the registered keeper of the car in November 2021 despite knowing it had been bought with the proceeds of her then boyfriend Steven Parker’s drug dealing.
Daniels, 43, of Lone Barn Road, Norwich, pleaded guilty to concealing the proceeds of crime in May this year four days before a planned trial.
Matthew Edwards, prosecuting, said the seller of the car had been told the cash purchase had been funded by the sale of Bitcoin.
In fact, the money had come from a marketplace set up on the ‘dark web’ – a hidden part of the internet which often hosts illegal activities – that sold large quantities of heroin, MDMA and amphetamines.
It was exposed following an investigation by specialist cyber detectives into drug supply on the dark web led by the Eastern Region Special Operations Unit (ERSOU).
Daniels, who was initially charged with offences relating to drug supply, was sentenced to a 12 month community order with requirement to complete 15 rehabilitation days and 100 hours unpaid work.
Recorder Ruth Brander also made a deprivation order to seize the Mini Cooper and ordered she pay £314 in costs.
Andrew Oliver, mitigating, said she had shown “poor judgement” by “turning a blind eye” while in a relationship with Parker.
Parker, 50, of Belmore Close, Cambridge, failed to attend his sentencing for eight offences relating to drug possession, drug supply and money laundering.
ERSOU recently collaborated with substance misuse charity Druglink to contact households identified as receiving orders of drugs from the dark web.
Officers issued advisory letters to 675 addresses where intelligence indicated drugs packages had been delivered, warning recipients of the criminal and health dangers of illicit substances and flagging up drug misuse support.
