One of the most surprising things in The Wire was when it was revealed that Stringer Bell was taking business classes to help grow his drug empire. However, it turns out that this isn’t exactly fictional and it’s evidenced in the story below, where a judge was so impressed with a drug dealer’s business model that he actually ended up complimenting him on it.

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It happened over in Queensland where Judge Ann Lyons was sentencing 20-year-old Brodie Gary Satterley, who was dealing methamphetamine. The court heard that as part of his operation he gave price guides, charged interest on debts and gave discounts and refunds in response to complaints, as well as seeking customer feedback, providing utensils, advertising he was dealing a high-quality product and having business strategy meetings.

Upon sentencing him to three years jail with immediate parole (kinda defeating the point?), Lyons said the following:

It obviously wasn’t the best business, but it’s a good business model.

You obviously could do very well in business because you clearly are quite intelligent.

Can I say that if you actually did some more study you could really make something of yourself? So please don’t come back to court again.

I want to encourage you to use your talents for good rather than evil.

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Well, I’m not sure Satterley’s immediate parole is going to satisfy that criteria, but I suppose it’s better than making him sit in prison for three years, learning more tricks of the trade and growing ever more resentful of the system. Whether or not he actually takes her advice and goes legit is anybody’s guess though. Here’s hoping.

As for all you other drug dealers out there – follow Satterley’s example and use a good business model, and if you get caught then you might just get off. Pretty sound advice.

For more drug dealers, check out this guy starting a fight with a customer and then getting the shit kicked out of him. Not such a strong business model.