Taxi Driver Online

Retford Guardian

September 12, 2007

Retford husband and wife ordered to repay £171,000 of drugs money

A RETFORD couple who operated a taxi firm and sandwich shop have been found to owe more than £400,000 through drugs offences.

Lorraine Lane, 41, and her husband, 42, of Holly Mount, Retford, are currently serving six years each after being convicted of drug dealing and money laundering offences in October last year.

It was shown that the couple had benefited to the sum of £403,843,36p from their criminal activities.

The court ordered them to re-pay £171,779,72p of this balance or face up to 18 months longer in jail.

The Lanes were sentenced at Derby Crown Court last year after being convicted of possession of large amounts of amphetamine and cannabis with intent to supply, and three related offences of money-laundering.

After a raid at their home in July last year, police found half a kilo of amphetamine hidden under scampi in the freezer and over three kilos of cannabis in the garden summer house.

There was also £3,845 cash in the house, along with a £23,000 collection of Steiff toy bears, an £8,000 diamond ring and a Rolex watch.

Darren Lane, who was found to have benefited from his crimes to the sum of £236,363, faces a further two years in prison if he doesn't repay his assets worth £110,301.

His wife's sentence will be extended by a further 18 months if she does not repay £61,478 of her assets within six months.

" All of their available assets have now been confiscated by the courts and what they can't afford they will carry as debt until the amount is paid in full. This shows the determination of the Police and Courts to take the profits out of criminal activities," said investigating officer DC Matt Scott.

"The Lanes have now lost their home, business, vehicles and all monies in their bank accounts," he added.
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