Darius Pearce, of Darius Pearce Jewellers and Jersey Online Traders, until recently occupied a unit in the north-western corner of the Central Market.
Last month a notice appeared in the store’s window saying that the contents of the shop now lie with ‘the Viscount’.
At around the same time listings for the Petty Debts Court Tenancy Division showed the Infrastructure Minister, acting on behalf of ‘the public of the Island’, had begun eviction proceedings against Jersey Online Traders Limited – a company run by Pearce.
It has now been confirmed that the business has been evicted from the Central Market store on the grounds that it was being used for illegal purposes and also because the tenant had accrued rental arrears.
A statement provided by the Law Officers’ Department said: ‘The Law Officers’ Department was instructed by Jersey Property Holdings [which is under the remit of the Infrastructure Minister] to commence eviction proceedings against Jersey Online Traders Limited for two breaches of its lease agreement with the public of the Island of Jersey.
‘The eviction application was heard in the Tenancy Division of the Petty Debts Court on Wednesday 24 February and Jersey Online Traders Limited’s eviction was ordered by the court.
‘Mr Pearce appeared via video link on behalf of Jersey Online Traders Limited to contest the application.’
Pearce was found guilty of three counts of becoming concerned in the acquisition, use, possession or control of criminal property in December following a week-long Royal Court trial. He was immediately remanded into La Moye Prison pending sentencing where he has remained ever since.
The case followed a joint operation by Customs and the States police which culminated in the interception of a yacht carrying almost £1 million-worth of drugs at Belval Cove in June 2019. Seven of those involved in the plot were later jailed for a combined total of 74 years.
In the months leading up to the arrests, it was heard that Pearce had been taking cash from gang members at his store, paying it into his bank and buying gold bullion over the phone in London’s Hatton Garden. The gold would then be picked up and handed to a gang member in the UK.
Pearce was due to be sentenced yesterday by the Superior Number of the Royal Court – which only convenes for the most serious of offences. However, matters have instead been adjourned. A new sentencing date is due to be fixed next Friday.
