A SERIAL drug trafficker who has racked up almost 30 years of prison sentences has now been ordered to pay back more than £200,000 of his ill-gotten gains.

Derrick Woods, 41, of Blakeridge Mills, Batley, has been told to repay £203,940.73 of his criminal earnings or face having another 18 months lumped onto the end of his sentence.

He is currently locked up for 14 years for serious drugs offending following his conviction last year. It follows a five year jail term he received in 2005 for drugs trafficking, and a ten year sentence handed down in 2010 for drugs offences, of which he served six years in prison.

He appeared today at Leeds Crown Court for confiscation proceedings under the Proceeds of Crime Act. The fine of more than £200k must be paid within three months or 18 months will be added to his sentence.

Woods was caught red-handed by police from the Regional Organised Crimes Unit handing drugs over to another person in a car park of commercial premises in Leeds in 2019.

Following a search of his flat in the 150-year-old converted textile mill and two vehicles, police found a large amount of ecstasy and bags of amphetamine paste, as well as a carrier bag containing £95,000 in cash.

The Proceeds of Crime Act order against him was achieved by the Regional Economic Crime Unit (RECU).

Detective Inspector Mick Ryan of the RECU said: “Woods is serving a long prison sentence following his conviction and we welcome the confiscation order made by the court today.

"He was at the heart of a large-scale drug trafficking enterprise across West Yorkshire, and the order will see that he does not financially benefit from his criminal activities.”