THE mastermind behind a multi-million pound operation to import illegal body-building drugs has been sentenced to an extra three-and-a-half years in prison for failing to pay back £300,000 of ill-gotten gains.
Leeds magistrates today (Oct 17) added 42 months to the seven-year sentence Nicholas Aristotelous, 41, was already serving.
Aristotelous, of Roker Lane, Pudsey, was jailed in December 2010 for his part in a conspiracy to import illegal body-building drugs from China and the Far East.
He spent vast sums on human growth hormones, steroids and other class C drugs, including viagra.
The five-year operation was estimated to have had a turnover of £5mand netted a profit of around £2.9m.
The drugs can cause major heart problems, cancer, blindness and blood disorders.
Aristotelous was the central figure in the conspiracy, which included five other men.
In November 2011 a confiscation order was granted under the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) declaring his total criminal benefit was £2.5million and ordering him to repay £300,000.
The debt remains outstanding and Aristotelous will still have to pay up.
Det Sgt Craig Jennings, of the Leeds POCA team said: “We welcome the extention of Aristotelous jail term and we will continue to re-visit this confiscation order until he repays it in full.
“Using the Proceeds of Crime Act we are able to remove cash and other assets from criminals to benefit community and policing projects.”
Last week West Yorkshire Police arrested 33 people, executed 39 search warrants and recovered cash, drugs, counterfeit products and stolen items as part of a week of action targeting those who are living off the proceeds of crime.