Cannabis factory man made £85,000

A MAN convicted of drugs offences in Warrington has been ordered to pay almost £300 by the courts.
Nigel Gerke was arrested after officers raided an address in Powell Street, Warrington.
Around 434 cannabis plants were found inside the property in various stages of growth – along with the equipment used to grow them. This included heat lamps, a ventilation system and water butts.
The cannabis plants and equipment were seized and taken away for forensic examination. A quantity of cash was also seized from the property.
Gerke, 42, of Honister Avenue, Orford, Warrington, was arrested on Kingsway South in Warrington when police officers stopped a car he was driving. This car had been seen driving to and from the property in Powell Street – which Gerke was renting at the time.
He was subsequently charged with producing cannabis and jailed for two and-a-half years at Warrington Crown Court.
Now a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing has determined that Gerke benefited from his crime by £85,009. His available assets are worth £270 and Gerke was ordered to forfeit it all.
A police spokesman said after the hearing: “The message is clear – if you involve yourself in illegal drugs then you run the risk of not only going to prison, but also having to pay back any money that you may have benefited from as a result of your crime.
“Our work does not end here. The confiscation order has been made and this means that Gerke will owe that sum of money to the courts for the rest of his life until he can repay the full amount.”