A Manchester crime network have been ordered to pay back more than £70,000 after police busted their drug ring.
Eight members of the gang were hand a total of 40 years in prison in April earlier this year and were stripped of their ‘ill-gotten gains’ following a confiscation hearing yesterday.
Detective Inspector Rob Cousen said the gang were ‘making handsome profits by peddling drugs that cause misery and hardship on the streets of our communities’.
“Greater Manchester Police has made no secret of the fact that it is not just jail time that we aim for when we expose these sorts of people for the criminals they are, but we also hit them where it hurts the most and that’s their wallets,” he said.
The gang’s operations in the Greater Manchester area were monitored over the space of five months, which led to the recovery of large amounts of cocaine and cannabis worth almost £100,000.
Cash and designer watches worth around £40,000 were also discovered with a total approximate street value of £170,000.
The eight offenders paid back the following:
|
|
Benefitted by: |
Paid back: |
|
Anthony Quinn, 32, of Kenley Walk, Collyhurst |
£32,264 |
£1,045 |
|
Lee Clarke, 29, of Welbeck Street South, Ashton-Under-Lyne |
£34,464 |
£6,615 |
|
Michael Connor, 25, of Limebrook Close, Openshaw |
£27,869 |
N/A |
|
Andrew Hulme, 33, of Cornwall Road Droylsden |
£33,399 |
£3,700 |
|
Vincent Mallon, 60, of Woodvale Walk, Beswick |
£48,853 |
£32,000 |
|
Steven Ellis, 36, of Duchess Green, Hyde |
£55,052 |
£22,963 |
|
John Mallon, 33, of Barmouth Walk, Oldham |
£55,374 |
£576 |
This resulted in an investigation into the gang’s finances led by Detective Constable Mark Chesters from GMP’s Economic Crime Unit.
“It must be galling for genuine, hard-working members of our communities to see these drug dealers driving around in flash motor cars and enjoying wealth they haven’t earned,” said Detective Inspector Cousen.
“And so I hope this result shows people that we will target criminals and take away their liberty and their ill-gotten gains.
“The force’s Economic Crime Unit works tirelessly to see where these criminals are trying to hide their dirty money and when we can demonstrate they have clearly made money through criminality, we will claw that money back off them.”
In addition, Vincent Mallon has been forced to forfeit £4,000 in cash under the Misuse of Drugs Act and Lee Clarke, Steven Ellis and John Mallon have all been made subject of Serious Crime Prevention Orders.
If they fail to make repayments they could face further prison sentences.
“The corroding effects of class A drugs on families, communities and the wider society are well-documented and each and every one of this organised crime group knows it,” said Detective Inspector Cousen.
“I hope today’s result sends out a significant message to anyone involved in supplying drugs. No matter how sophisticated you think you are, justice will always catch up with you in the end.”
