Cardiff Drug Dealer Must Pay Back £3,000 from County Lines

A Cardiff drug dealer who claimed he was “acting under direction” has been ordered to pay back £3,000 after benefiting by more than £18,000 from selling heroin and cocaine through a county lines operation 💰⚖️

Kaci Payne, 25, was caught after police spotted him on CCTV “topping up” a burner phone connected to the ‘J’ drugs line. He was stopped in Cardiff on November 20 last year whilst in a Renault with three other men.

When officers searched his Verallo Drive home in Canton, they seized a knife, £1,000 in cash, and high-value clothing. Analysis of the burner phone revealed messages showing Payne’s involvement in supplying Class A drugs between October 4 and November 20.

Despite being interviewed, Payne answered “no comment” to all questions but later pleaded guilty to two counts of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs.

The court heard Payne has five previous convictions including possession with intent to supply cocaine, possession of cannabis, possession of a bladed article, possession of an offensive weapon, and drug-driving.

In mitigation, the court was told there was no evidence the defendant had influence over those above him in the chain and was “acting under direction”. Payne was described as having a “challenging” childhood, having been introduced to cannabis at a young age and later diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome.

Payne was sentenced to 36 months imprisonment last year. At Tuesday’s Proceeds of Crime Act hearing at Cardiff Crown Court, Judge Tracey Lloyd-Clarke, the Recorder of Cardiff, found he had benefited £18,062 from his offending but only has assets worth £3,250.

The judge ordered Payne to pay that sum within three months or serve an additional two months imprisonment in default.