Jack Young-Larter, 26, admitted his guilt before Maidstone Crown Court on September 17, and he was handed three years and four months behind bars. The sentence came with an unusual twist: the court ruled that the stolen Pokemon cards he collected were criminal property, placing them under a Deprivation Order. Young-Larter had accepted those cards as payment from customers, trading rare trading cards for cash.
On May 1, officers from Kent Police carried out a raid at Young-Larter’s residence on London Road. Inside the property they recovered two mobile phones, almost 110g of cannabis, over 25g of cocaine, scales, empty drug packaging, roughly £2,000 in cash, and a collection of rare items. The seized phones held proof of drug dealing: messages about supplying cocaine and cannabis, videos of packages stored for collection, and records of payments made through cash, bank transfer, and Pokemon trading cards.
The Cash, Transfer and Card Economy
A cash, transfer and card economy was run by Young-Larter across vulnerable environs. He did not want cash alone; he desired Pokemon cards instead. It was Kent Police who merely collected the debt.
In a hobby where booster tins can cost more than rent, the Maidstone case was not an isolated incident. The Pokemon cards themselves became a means for people to take money from those who were already struggling. In August, The Pokemon Company took action against early 30th anniversary sales, citing stolen property concerns.
The Deprivation Order
The court deemed his card collection criminal property and placed it under a Deprivation Order. As a result, Young-Larter’s family will not be able to give the collection back to him.
Young-Larter attempted to soothe the court by citing family obligations, but the judge allegedly responded that his family must be deeply let down.
Detective Constable Emily Hill
Detective Constable Emily Hill said the sentence was for “selfishly taking advantage” of vulnerable people. She added that while trading Pokemon cards is fun, drugs “destroy communities, so Kent officers are “on a mission to catch them all.”
“Destroy communities, so Kent officers are “on a mission to catch them all.”
A Larger Market
The material is plain cardboard that has risen in worth. The previous twelve months brought a comparable problem for Greater Manchester Police, who attempted to return a $330,000 Pokemon collection following a raid that turned up the cache.
The Comparison
| Case | Collection Value | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| Young-Larter | Not stated | Deprivation Order, 3 years and 4 months |
| Greater Manchester | $330,000 | Police attempt to return collection |
The Judge’s Message
The judge’s reported reaction to Young-Larter’s family commitments was blunt. The court made the collection criminal property.
The Pokemon Company’s Stance
The Pokemon Company took action in August, targeting early 30th anniversary sales due to stolen property worries. This response pointed to the company keeping a close watch on the market.
What This Means for Collectors
A Deprivation Order can prevent a dealer from holding onto a stolen collection, treating it as criminal property. The case demonstrates how this legal measure works in practice.
The Bottom Line
The exchange of Pokemon cards for drugs involved Young-Larter, and Kent officers are “on a mission to catch them all,” which means they won’t let a binder stand in the way of justice in this case.
The story is amusing, but the law is not.
Source material: “Drug dealer jailed after letting customers pay off debts with stolen Pokemon cards,” Dexerto.
Get the Notebook.
The day's best stories and every fresh verdict, in plain English, in your inbox by seven. One email a day, no more.