A PAIR of drug dealers who were caught after police intercepted a car near Newton Abbot have been ordered to repay more than £100,000 under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
Courier David Bensusan was stopped in Kingskerswell as he drove from his home in Essex with two kilos of cocaine which he was about to deliver to dealer David Rounce in Torquay.
The exact location of the rendezvous was programmed into the car’s satnav and police were able to arrest Rounce with the £46,000 cash that he was planning to hand over in exchange.
Rounce was already suspected to be a drug dealer by police who had raided his home three months earlier and found £41,000 cash hidden inside a canoe along with 1,769 ecstasy tablets, 78g of cocaine, half a kilo of ketamine and some cannabis.
A financial investigation showed that Rounce had already made £282,472.47 out of drug dealing while Bensusan made a smaller profit of £75,060.12.
An assessment of their available assets showed that Rounce had £94,675 while Bensusan had just £6,500. Judge Stephen Climie ordered them to pay these amounts within three months or face a further nine months and three months respectively.
Rounce, aged 32, of Heron Way, Torquay, admitted possession of drugs with intent to supply, possession of criminal property and personal possession of cannabis and was jailed for six years and four months at Exeter Crown Court last December.
Bensusan, aged 39, of Smallgains Avenue in Canvey Island, admitted possession with intent to supply and was jailed for three years at the same hearing.
Mr Adrian Budworth, defending, said most of Rounce’s assets consisted of the cash which was seized by police but there were also two cars which have apparently been stolen while he was in jail.
He said he may apply to amend the order if there is a problem with insurance payments.
At the previous hearing, Mr Lee Bremridge, prosecuting, said Bensusan was stopped in Kingskerswell on October 20 and police then arrested Rounce as he waited to take possession of the cocaine, which had a wholesale value of £54,000 and hand over £46,000 cash in exchange.
He was stood in an alleyway off Shearwater Drive, Torquay, holding the cash in a carrier bag.
Both men came from Essex but former soldier Rounce had moved to stay at his mother’s house in Torquay after his car repair business went bust during the recession.
Bensusan was recruited because he had run up debts during a family court case and was tempted by the lure of easy money.