A DRUG dealer is set to lose the house where he cultivated cannabis as a court imposed a pay-back to take away the proceeds of his crime.

Leonard Jones, aged 42, of Rose Cottages, Upper Race in Pontypool, is currently serving a four-year prison sentence after being found guilty of the production of cannabis a year ago.

He must now sell the property and hand over the cash to the authorities.

Jones appeared at a hearing via video link at Cardiff Crown Court, where the court heard how he had benefited to the tune of £179,639 from producing cannabis between August and October, 2011.

The court ruled that a property owned by Jones on St Cadoc’s Road in Trevethin would be sold for £75,000 under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

An offer of that sum for the property had already been made, but a court order had prevented it from being disposed of.

But this was lifted at the latest hearing for the house sale to proceed after Jones agreed to it going ahead.

Jones has six months to comply and sell the property and pay the £75,000, and failing to do so would lead to an additional 18- month prison sentence being imposed.

He was convicted by a jury in June 2013, after they returned a unanimous guilty verdict.

He was then sentenced a month later.

Police were made aware of the criminal activity following an anonymous phone call.

The cannabis was being produced at the unoccupied property on St Cadoc’s Road, which is the house that will now be sold.