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| Devon based Silk Road drug vendor gets five years in prison | Devon based Silk Road drug vendor gets five years in prison |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A major vendor on the illegal Silk Road website and his business partner, were sentenced to five years in prison for drugs offences. | A major vendor on the illegal Silk Road website and his business partner, were sentenced to five years in prison for drugs offences. |
| Peter Ward, 54 of Barnstaple in Devon and Richard Hiley, 30 of Tividale in the West Midlands were sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on Monday. | Peter Ward, 54 of Barnstaple in Devon and Richard Hiley, 30 of Tividale in the West Midlands were sentenced at Birmingham Crown Court on Monday. |
| Ward was given five years and two months, Hiley five years. | Ward was given five years and two months, Hiley five years. |
| The pair pleaded guilty to possession, supply and importation of Class A and Class B drugs. | The pair pleaded guilty to possession, supply and importation of Class A and Class B drugs. |
| Peter Ward was known online as PlutoPete. His business specialised in supplying military-grade foil packaging that claimed to hide illegal materials from detection. | Peter Ward was known online as PlutoPete. His business specialised in supplying military-grade foil packaging that claimed to hide illegal materials from detection. |
| He also provided new psychoactive substances, commonly known as legal highs. | He also provided new psychoactive substances, commonly known as legal highs. |
| He was arrested by National Crime Agency officers in Barnstaple in October 2013 following an international operation targeting prominent vendors on dark web marketplaces like Silk Road. | He was arrested by National Crime Agency officers in Barnstaple in October 2013 following an international operation targeting prominent vendors on dark web marketplaces like Silk Road. |
| Officers searched Ward's rural home and found class A and B drugs and numerous computers. | Officers searched Ward's rural home and found class A and B drugs and numerous computers. |
| Analysis uncovered his close working with an ex-customer, Richard Hiley, who was commissioned by Ward to convert bitcoins into cash. | Analysis uncovered his close working with an ex-customer, Richard Hiley, who was commissioned by Ward to convert bitcoins into cash. |
| In December 2013, NCA officers raided Hiley's address in the West Midlands after financial records seized from Ward identified large scale transactions between the pair. | In December 2013, NCA officers raided Hiley's address in the West Midlands after financial records seized from Ward identified large scale transactions between the pair. |
| Hiley also pleaded guilty to two counts of importing a prohibited weapon after he imported five stun guns. He said they were for personal protection. | Hiley also pleaded guilty to two counts of importing a prohibited weapon after he imported five stun guns. He said they were for personal protection. |
| NCA Branch Commander, Ian Glover, said: "Criminals and their customers like to think that dark web market places provide an anonymous haven. | NCA Branch Commander, Ian Glover, said: "Criminals and their customers like to think that dark web market places provide an anonymous haven. |
| "The reality is that law enforcement works together internationally to identify and pursue these people." | "The reality is that law enforcement works together internationally to identify and pursue these people." |
| What was Silk Road? | What was Silk Road? |
| Source: US Department of Justice |