Police in Maidstone arrested 26-year-old Jack Young-Larter after a May 1 search of his London Road home uncovered almost 110g of cannabis, over 25g of cocaine, scales, deal bags, about £2,000 in cash, two phones and a box of rare Pokémon cards. Phone evidence allegedly showed him arranging supplies and accepting trading cards to settle drug debts, even encouraging theft of collectibles. Young-Larter pleaded guilty on September 17 and was sentenced to three years and four months; a Deprivation Order was made over the Pokémon collection.
Maidstone Drug Dealer Accepted Rare Pokémon Cards As Payment — Collection Seized
Image by Tyler Mascola on Pexels.
Police in Maidstone, Kent, say a local drug dealer accepted rare Pokémon trading cards as payment for cocaine and cannabis — a discovery that helped build the case against him when officers searched his home.
Search And Seizure
Officers executed a warrant at a London Road address on May 1 and arrested 26-year-old Jack Young-Larter. The search uncovered nearly 110 grams of cannabis, more than 25 grams of cocaine, weighing scales, empty deal bags and roughly £2,000 in cash. Investigators also seized two mobile phones and a box containing a collection of rare Pokémon cards, which were removed from what police described as an unsuitable environment for collectibles.
Phones Reveal Unusual Payment Method
Detectives examined the phones and say messages and videos showed Young-Larter arranging drug supplies and directing customers to retrieve concealed packages. Financial records and communications reportedly indicated that payments were made in cash, by bank transfer and — unusually — with Pokémon cards. Kent Police allege Young-Larter even encouraged some customers to steal collectible cards to settle drug debts.
Cards Treated As Criminal Property
Investigators concluded the card collection was linked to the drug enterprise, and the items were treated as criminal property. The force noted that disputes and criminal incidents involving collectible trading cards are not unprecedented. In this case the cards formed part of the evidence used in court.
Court Outcome
Young-Larter pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court on September 17 and was sentenced to three years and four months in prison. The court also issued a Deprivation Order covering the Pokémon collection, preventing him from retaining the cards.
Detective Constable Emily Hill said Young-Larter preyed on vulnerable people through drug dealing and emphasised the difference between legitimate collecting and using collectibles as part of a trade that harms communities. She added, with a touch of levity, that Kent officers were "on a mission to catch them all."
While the story drew unusual public interest because of the involvement of collectible cards, police stressed the primary concern remained the harm caused by drug supply and exploitation.
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