A COCAINE dealer who made more than £56,000 from selling drugs and offered cash for people to set fire to a house and a car has been ordered to pay back just £1.
Michael Arundel, of Mynydd Bach in Ammanford, was jailed for 11 years in July for his role in supplying cocaine, MDMA, cannabis and ketamine, as well as intentionally encouraging the commission of arson.
Arundel sent messages to an audience of over 1,000 people on the Telegram app offering money to whoever set a nearby home and car on fire.
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Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) proceedings were launched to recover any profits Arundel had made from his offending.
Prosecutor Alycia Carpanini said that 34-year-old Arundel had benefited to the sum of £56,250 from dealing drugs.
However, she continued: “The financial investigator has gone through the defendant’s assets and he doesn’t seem to have any.”
The court ordered Arundel to pay back a nominal amount of £1, and a forfeiture and destruction order was made for the seized cocaine.
The court previously heard a man was seen throwing something at an Audi on Arundel’s street which “immediately exploded” on February 28. They ran away, and when the owner of the car followed him, he recognised them as being linked to Arundel.
Officers began monitoring the Telegram app, and on April 26 they saw Arundel messaged: ‘Need a house set on fire. Cash ready … Tycroes area’, before sending a picture of bags of money.
He later messaged: ‘Cash was paid … that last job is sorted. Watch what happens tonight’.
Dyfed-Powys Police attended the area, which led to Arundel messaging: ‘Feds all over the place' and 'soon as they’re gone it will happen mark my words’.
‘You can’t delay the inevitable!! It’s happening 100%’, he added.
However no attack took place.
Three days later, officers in Llanelli spotted Arundel, who fled down Marble Hall Road and fell over as he tried to take a plastic bag out of his pocket and discard it.
Inside the bag, officers found a half kilogram block of cocaine with a street value of up to £62,500.
Officers examining his phones found Telegram messages on February 28 relating to the first incident.
Arundel messaged: ‘Anyone looking to make money? Car set on fire in Ammanford. Don’t waste my time I want it asap’, before adding: ‘1st person come set the Audi outside on fire I’ll personally come give you £200 cash.’
He then messaged: ‘If you’re not available tonight don’t stress. I’ll pay you £200 tomorrow night to do the house windows. I don’t f*** about and I don’t do things by half.’
He later increased his offer to £300.
Further analysis of Arundel’s Telegram account found evidence of dealing cocaine and MDMA – both Class A drugs – and cannabis and ketamine – both Class B drugs – between August 2023 and April this year.
He pleaded guilty to the offences, and when jailed was also made the subject of a 20-year restraining order.
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