Legal high drug dealer made £2.5m online

A drug dealer from Wales made a fortune selling legal highs through a website he ran from his own home.

32-year-old Christopher Holloway from Raglan in Wales bought in various substances from abroad, mixed them together and packaged them ready for sale under the description ‘research chemicals’, which customers in the know understood to be legal highs.

A police raid on his home resulted in the seizure of 8kg of drugs with a street value of more than £3.5m, while his bank account was found to contain £1m. Mr Holloway had a five-week holiday in Las Vegas, staying at top-rated hotels such as the Bellagio and renting expensive cars such as a Lamborghini and a Porsche. Whilst in Vegas he spent £25,000 gambling at the casinos.

Detective Chief Inspector Roger Fortey, from Gwent Police, said: “The phrase ‘legal highs’ portrays an image of the substances being legal and hence safe. These substances contain dangerous, harmful and untested chemicals.”

Border Agency staff first came across Mr Holloway’s drug operation back in June 2012, when they intercepted a package from China. The outside labelling claimed that the package contained ‘samples’; however, when opened, it was found to contain a class B drug.

Upon Mr Holloway’s arrest, police discovered that he had made in excess of 13,000 sales globally, including sales made in Scotland, California and Tokyo. Purchases were still being made by consumers via Mr Holloway’s online store while police searched his home.