Drug dealers get 31 years

EIGHT men, members of an organised crime gang at Warrington, have been jailed for a total of 31 years.
It was the second major case involving organised drug dealings in the Warrington area in the space of two months
The men were handed sentences ranging from six and-a-half years to 16 months at Warrington Crown Court.
They had each pleaded guilty to the supply and distribution of Class A drugs in Warrington.
The defendants were sentenced as follows:
Shawn O’Malley, 24 of Festival Avenue, was jailed for six years, Anthony Cullen, 24, of Bewsey Road, was jailed for five and-a-half years, Lee Blackmore, 25, of Holly Bank Caravan Park, Rixton, was jailed for six and-a-half years, Christopher Ellison, 25, of Bowman Avenue, was jailed for four years, Michael Coray, 22, of Greenwood Crescent, was jailed for three years, Paul Houghton, 27, of Reynolds Street, was jailed for three years, David Costello, 46, of Kingsway South, was jailed for 16 months, Robert McKenna, 47, of Dyserth, North Wales, was jailed for two years.
The court heard that Operation Knock was instigated by Cheshire Police’s Crime Operations Unit and involved hours of intelligence gathering over a period of five months.
Anthony Cullen was the mastermind behind the gang. The 24-year-old co-ordinated the criminal network with his close associate Shawn O’Malley.
The operation reached its climax in October last year when O’Malley was arrested following a stop check in Leicester Street, Warrington.
At the time he was in possession of almost a quarter of a kilo of cocaine, with a purity of 83 per cent.
Cullen was with him at the time but ran off was later arrested at his home address in Warrington.
The court was told that Lee Blackmore and Christopher Ellison also had significant roles within the gang.
They produced drugs ready for distribution at a caravan site in Rixton.
Their movements were captured on surveillance footage which showed them entering and leaving the caravan. It was inside this caravan where the drugs were produced via a sophisticated set-up with numerous pieces of equipment.
Blackmore and Ellison were both arrested at the caravan and a large quantity of cocaine was recovered of varying weights and purities. Also recovered were a large amount of drugs paraphernalia including scales, blenders, a sieve, a large hydraulic press and plates.
These arrests were followed by a series of raids at the home of three other suspects in Warrington and at one address in North Wales.
DI Kev Bennett of the Crime Operations Unit, who led the operation, said: “Operation Knock was the result of months of intelligence gathering in relation to the activities of these individuals. The gang – lead by Anthony Cullen – conspired to produce and distribute illegal drugs for their own gain.
“The drugs were produced inside a caravan at a site on the outskirts of Warrington – this was a sophisticated set=up and was capable of producing a large quantity of illegal drugs.
“We know that the average purity of the drugs that would actually have been sold on would be as little as 2-5 per cent.”
Operation Knock follows on from Operation Cortex, which resulted in 18 men being sentenced to almost 100 years behind bars in March for offences of conspiracy to supply and distribute Class A drugs across the North West.
Leon Cullen, from Warrington, was the mastermind behind that gang and he co-ordinated the criminal network with his close associate John Large.
Leon Cullen is the twin brother of Anthony Cullen.
The majority of their activity took place at car parks across Warrington.
DI Bennett added: “Following the arrests and charges as part of Operation Cortex a void was left in the illegal drugs market within Warrington.
“This was quickly filled by Leon Cullen’s twin brother Anthony who took over the reins and, via a second organised crime gang, continued to be involved in the production and supply of illegal drugs in return for cash.
“This latest investigation has once again struck at the heart of an organised crime gang by removing the hierarchy who organise the drug supply and reap the benefits from the profits generated.
“We hope that the conclusion of Operation Knock helps to reassure members of the public that we are actively targeting and successfully prosecuting those involved in the supply and distribution of illegal drugs.”
Six of the defendants admitted conspiracy to supply Class A drugs, O’Malley admitted possession with intent to supply and Costello pleaded guilty to being concerns in the supply of Class A drugs.