CHESHIRE’s police and crime commissioner says that money seized from drugs boss Anthony Cullen will be used ‘to repair the damage he inflicted’ on Warrington.

The 32-year-old, from Padgate, was the ringleader of a cocaine racket that personally earned him hundreds of thousands of pounds.

He is currently serving a 27-year stretch behind bars after being convicted of conspiracy to supply cocaine and conspiracy to possess firearms.

But the gang’s ‘controller and director’ was ordered to pay back £378,139 of his ill-gotten gains by a court order.

And PCC David Keane says that Cullen’s cash will be ‘put to good use in order to keep communities safe’.

Mr Keane said: “The Proceeds of Crime Act ensures that money seized from criminals is put to good use keeping our communities safe.

“Criminal activity ruins lives and communities, so I am committed to ensuring money seized from offending is reinvested back into our communities to discourage people from making the same mistakes.

“I am now working with the chief constable to ensure when these funds are recovered that they are used to repair some of the damage inflicted on the local community by Cullen and other members of the organised crime group.”

Members of the gang were jailed for a total of 185 years at Liverpool Crown Court in January 2019 after more than 50kg of cocaine and seven guns were seized by police during Operation Samurai.

Warrington Guardian:

Guns and ammunition seized from the gang

Cullen, who ‘ruled the roost and gave out orders’, was also handed a serious crime prevention order earlier this month – banning him from associating with his co-conspirators.

Detective inspector Giles Pierce, of Cheshire Police’s serious and organised crime unit, added: “Members of organised crime groups like Cullen often believe that upon leaving prison they can return to a lavish and criminal lifestyle.

“However, this case shows that the punishments for such convicted criminals doesn’t stop at a prison sentence.

“Instead, we work hard to ensure that the money they made from their criminal enterprises is paid back and they are subject to an order which prevents them from returning to organised crime.

“Those subjected to serious crime prevention orders are robustly monitored by the police.”