Drug gang boss has luxury car and watches confiscated

A convicted drug gang boss has been ordered to hand over a Land Rover car and luxury watches.

Joe Hatherall, 32, formerly of Emersons Green, was jailed for 12 years and six months in November for his role in the supply of cocaine and heroin through south-west England, following an investigation by the South West Regional Organised Crime Unit (SWROCU)

At Bristol Crown Court on Friday, he was told he must hand over his remaining available assets, amounting to £161,924, Avon and Somerset Police said.

"The money paid back will go towards financing law enforcement activity related to serious and organised crime," said Peter Highway, of SWROCU's Regional Economic and Cyber Crime Unit.

Among the items covered by the court confiscation order are a £49,000 Land Rover, an Audemars Piguet and two Rolex watches with a combined value of about £60,000 and a jet ski worth £10,000, Avon and Somerset Police said.

A collection of designer clothes by brands including Louis Vuitton, Christian Louboutin and Givenchy, and about £42,000 in seized cryptocurrency will also be sold by law enforcement.

"Hatherall is a career criminal motivated by financial gain and the lure of a luxury lifestyle," said Highway.

He enjoyed driving a high-end car, wearing designer clothes and owning luxury watches, but our financial investigation team has worked diligently to deprive him of the lifestyle he was funding by supplying heroin and cocaine in our communities," he added.

Hatherall was arrested in 2022, while on licence from prison for a previous sentence, having returned to arranging the movement of heroin and cocaine throughout south-west England.

Three other men, Stefan Dann, Ben Bicknell and Dean Chick, were also sentenced in November for their part in the gang.

The SWROCU investigation saw about 10kg (22lbs) of cocaine and 4kg (8.8lbs) of heroin, with a street value of more than £1m, seized by its officers.

Approximately £80,000 in cash was also taken from those working for the group, and Hatherall had more than £30,000 in cryptocurrency confiscated.

All material items will be sold at auction and the valuation is based on the price they are likely to fetch.

Police estimate that Hatherall's personal benefit from crime is more than £1m, but some of this relates to his other offences.

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