No trace of trafficker's £173k in illicit gains

MAN SERVING 15-YEAR TERM FOR ROLE IN HEROIN RING

- By ESTHER HALLIGAN Reporter [e-mail]

A DRUGS trafficker, who was caught after French police hacked an encrypted messaging service, made £173,800 from the enterprise.

But Nico Easton, from Thornaby, appears to have spent all of his illegal profit because prosecutors haven't been able to trace any cash or assets to confiscate. Easton's partner Mark McKeswick made £684,884 from the drugs ring and on Friday, Teesside Crown Court heard that £12,486 of that has been traced.

A proceeds of crime order was made for the property and the cash - which totals the £12,486 to be sold.

Neither Easton, 32, or McKeswick, 49, attended the court hearing to hear the outcome of financial investigations.