Dark Web Bitcoin Drug Dealer Received 42 Month Sentence

In addition to the sentence of half to be served in prison and half on licence, Judge Alistair Devlin recommended that 33-year-old Kamil Balicki be deported back to his native Poland when he is released.

Balicki, who appeared in court via video link from Maghaberry Prison but with an address at Carndale Meadows in Ballymena in Antrim, had previously pleaded guilty to four drug offences, including two counts each of supplying class A and B drugs between May 19, 2020 and 17 January last year. years and one of possessing £3,296 of criminal property.

This cash, along with heroin, cannabis and amphetamines, were seized by police when they raided Balicki’s home on January 17 last year.

Prosecutor Michael Chambers outlined how the search was triggered by the PSNI’s cyber crime team after their officers “identified that cocaine and heroin were being offered for sale at £40 per gram on the dark web by a person using the name: ‘dreamliner777′”.

Billing itself as an online store selling cocaine and heroin, Chambers said the site came “complete with pictures of the items” and even had space for “reviews from satisfied customers.”

During the resulting search, police also seized 42.43 grams of class A heroin worth between £1,600 and £5,000, 19.79 grams of amphetamine, a class B drug also known as speed which was worth around £200 and 32 grams of herbal cannabis, also a class B drug, which had an approximate street value of £310.

Officers also uncovered heat seal bags, deal bags, scales, postal envelopes and stamps and a bucket which “tested positive for cocaine and had been used to cut and mix drugs”.

A laptop computer and mobile phone were examined and evidence was obtained on them that established that Balicki had been involved in the sale and supply of four different types of drugs.

“Sales through the Dreamliner website were posted to customers and payment was made to the defendant in Bitcoins,” Mr Chambers said, adding that “police inquiries with the defendant’s bank account revealed that he purchased £10,000 in cryptocurrency between March and July 2021 and that over £90,000 of transactions passed through his Bitcoin wallet.”

Prosecutors argued that there were many aggravating factors in the case, including the fact that Balicki sold different types of drugs, the length of time his dark web business was in operation and his attempts to hide his dark web/Bitcoin income.”

Jailing Balicki and ordering him to serve half of his sentence in prison and half on bail, Judge Devlin said while the dealer should be given credit for pleading guilty, which had to be seen in the context of an “overwhelming” prosecution case in which he was ” effectively taken. red handed” runs a commercial operation in the sale and supply of a menu of illegal drugs, particularly heroin which is a “highly addictive and particularly harmful drug.”