Drug dealer arrested in Spain pleads guilty as properties worth £1.5m seized | UK News

A drug trafficker extradited from Spain has pleaded guilty to smuggling cocaine and heroin after police seized goods worth around £1.5 million.

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

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

Police said money from drug trafficking was laundered through various companies in an attempt to conceal the source.

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

All have now been seized.

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

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

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