A car dealer in Port Talbot has been instructed by the court to pay £82,528 as a result of a proceeds of crime investigation. John Kear, who was found with over four kilos of cocaine in a self-storage unit, has been ordered to pay this amount following a probe by financial investigators. Earlier this year, Kear was sentenced to seven years and two months in prison after a police raid at MyBox Storage in Baglan unveiled a stash of cocaine.
During the raid, officers discovered a block of compressed cocaine weighing 249g with a purity of 84 percent, along with four packages of powdered cocaine weighing just under one kilo each. The purity of these packages was found to be 10 percent. Other items found in the unit included black latex gloves and various documents under Kear’s name, the individual renting the unit.
At the sentencing hearing, Kear’s barrister explained that his client had agreed to store the cocaine for others in a moment of weakness and stupidity. A Proceeds of Crime Act hearing revealed that Kear, aged 57, had benefitted from his criminal activities to the sum of £621,566, with identified available assets totalling £82,528. A confiscation order was made for the available sum.
In March this year, John Joseph Kear, residing in Silver Avenue, Sandfields, Port Talbot, received his prison sentence after pleading guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to supply, being concerned in the supply of cocaine, and possession of criminal property — specifically, £5,979 cash found in his coat during his arrest. Kear’s barrister noted that most of his 58 prior offences were committed when he was younger.
The court was informed that Kear, now a family man and grandfather working in the car industry, had stored the drugs following persistent requests from others for a payment of £1,500. Kear expressed remorse, acknowledging that he had let down himself and his family. In 2004, Kear was sentenced to eight months in prison for money laundering related to a drug supply conspiracy spanning south-west Wales.
This incident sheds light on the consequences of criminal activities and the legal measures taken to address them, highlighting the importance of upholding the law and pursuing justice in such cases.