Drug Kingpin Used Laundered Pot Money to Purchase Iconic Banksy Artwork

A drug kingpin who used laundered money from his cannabis operation to acquire a collection of Banksy artwork has been sentenced to prison in South Wales.

Christopher Scrivens, from Ebbw Vale, masterminded a scheme to "flood the valleys" of Wales with imported cannabis, according to court documents obtained by South Wales Argus.

Scrivens led a criminal enterprise that imported over £100,000 worth of Californian cannabis into Wales, involving friends, neighbors, and employees in his operation. The crime network was involved in drug distribution and money laundering between 2019 and 2021. According to prosecuting attorney Robert Griffiths, Scrivens laundered drug money to purchase art.

"The defendant's ill-gotten gains were used to pay for the object," Griffiths said, referring to Bansky sculpture, the "Grappling Hook," which was seized by police. Scrivens and one of his associates believed they could sell the paint for £150,000, according to court documents.

Banksy's "Monkey Queen," "The Cross," and a mosaic were also recovered during the investigation. The presiding judge, Vanessa Francis, said Scrivens used "expensive art" to distance himself from his criminal activity.

His co-defendants included a neighbor, employees, and his girlfriend, who were all convicted of various drug-related offenses and money laundering. Several of them received community orders and unpaid work for their roles, while Scrivens was sentenced to a harsher punishment of three years in jail.

As the sentencing concluded, Scrivens high-fived and hugged his collaborators.