A man who the Metropolitan Police said built a £1.5 million property empire has pleaded guilty to drug supply and money laundering.
In Kingston Crown Court on Friday, Richard Baxter admitted conspiracy to supply heroin, conspiracy to supply cocaine and conspiracy to transfer criminal property.
The Met said he owned four properties in south-east England, including a house and a holiday home in Surrey. Officers arrested Baxter as part of an investigation into a criminal organization operating in London.
The conviction comes after he was arrested in Valencia by Spanish police and extradited to the UK. Mr Baxter, 50, of no fixed address, was remanded in custody ahead of sentencing at the same court on December 5.
“You will be held accountable.”
According to the Metropolitan Transportation Authority, the suspect was one of the main figures in a gang that smuggled hundreds of kilograms of cocaine and heroin.
Detective Inspector David Lawn, who led the investigation, said the force was “committed to combating the sale of dangerous illegal drugs that pose a threat to the public”.
He added: “The Metropolitan Museum of Art is dedicating its expertise to combating drug crime and making our nation’s capital a safer place to live.”
“Baxter’s conviction sends a strong message to those who seek to profit from the illegal drug trade that they will be held accountable for their actions in court.”
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