A FLINTSHIRE woman benefited to the tune of more than £200,000 during her time with a drugs gang, a court heard.

Sophie Roberts, of The Close in Greenfield, was jailed for ten years and four months last year for her involvement in a large scale drugs operation.

The offences of the gang collectively dated from December 2019 to April 2021, and saw a "network of distinctive but linked organised crime groups" combining to become a "formidable drugs consortium."

As well as having responsibility for managing and collecting money, Roberts liaised with others to ensure the supply of drugs met the enterprise's demand.

She also assisted in smuggling drugs into HMP Berwyn.

Based on the substances seized and communications analysed, drugs experts at North Wales Police estimated that a year's worth of drug supply at the scale the gang as a whole was operating on could have netted them up to £6million or more.

Roberts, now 27, appeared at Caernarfon Crown Court on Friday morning for a Proceeds of Crime hearing.

Laura Knightly, prosecuting, told the court that the agreed benefit figure in the defendant's case was £221,490.24.

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The Leader: Sophie Roberts (NWP)Sophie Roberts (NWP) (Image: North Wales Police)

But the amount of money she has available to be seized by police at the moment comes to just £2,654.79.

Philip Clemo, defending, told the court the available sum comprised money in the defendant's bank account.

"It's a restrained bank account," he said, "and the police will simply seize it."

The Leader:

Judge Timothy Petts told the defendant: "The prosecution investigated your finances using the resources they can bring to bear in investigations of this nature and it's common ground that the benefit is over £200,000.

"As you only have £2,600-odd in your bank, that's all you can be ordered to pay."

The Judge made it clear however that should more money come to light as part of the investigations, or should the defendant later acquire money, the court may be asked to revise the available amount.