Cannabis Trafficker Who Planned to 'Flood the Valleys' With Weed Used Banksy Art To Launder Money, Court Reveals

“Commercial success is a mark of failure for a graffiti artist. We're not supposed to be embraced in that way.” Banksy

A UK cannabis dealer who laundered his illegal earnings through artworks by the elusive British street artist Banksy has been sentenced to three years in prison.

Christopher Scrivens, 37, led a weed trafficking operation and used his profits to acquire luxury items, including Banksy paintings. During a raid on Scrivens’ home in South Wales, police confiscated several artworks, including Monkey Queen, The Watchtower Swing and a sculpture titled Grappling Hook. Scrivens later surrendered another piece, The Cross, completing his Banksy collection, valued at nearly $250,000.

Banksy: Anonymous But Famous

Banksy, one of the world’s most famous artists though his identity remains unknown, officially at least. His artwork has is risen in price over the last 20 years, with original paintings varying between hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. Banksy's murals have been seen on walls in cities and towns around the world including London, Los Angeles, New York, Bethlehem and the West Bank since 2000. 

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Meanwhile, local police revealed that their organized crime team had spent three years investigating Scrivens, who had openly boasted about his plan to “flood the Valleys” with California cannabis.

Prosecutor Roger Griffiths explained that Scrivens' cannabis profits were laundered to purchase these high-value art pieces. Scrivens, from the Welsh town of Ebbw Vale, admitted to importing marijuana worth nearly $140,000 and conspiring to buy and sell cannabis.

“Money was laundered for Scrivens to acquire the Banksy’s sculpture The Grappling Hook. The defendant’s ill-gotten gains were used to pay for the object,” Griffiths said according to the BBC.

The court also heard how Scrivens used family, friends and neighbors to receive packages of marijuana shipped from the U.S. Detective Chief Inspector Mike Preston described the case as complex, noting that the defendants tried to conceal theie proceeds in extravagant purchases.

“This is a particularly complex case, where the defendants have attempted to hide the proceeds of their crimes in extravagant items of clothing, vehicles, and artwork," Preston said. "Taking away the assets that criminals have purchased through crime sends the message that crime does not pay.”

The Banksy artwork will soon be subject to the Proceeds of Crime Act process.

“You invested in expensive art in an effort to distance yourself from your crimes,” said Judge Vanessa Francis who handed down Scrivens' sentence.

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Photo of Banksy mural in Bethlehem courtesy of Maureen Meehan