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23 May 2012
A second organised crime gang
from Warrington has been jailed within the space of 2 months.
The 8 men were handed sentences ranging from
6 ½ years to 16 months during a hearing at
Warrington Crown Court on Monday 21st May.
They had each pleaded guilty to the supply and
distribution of Class A drugs in
Warrington.
Operation Knock was investigated by Cheshire
Police′s Force Crime Operations Unit. The operation involved hours
of intelligence gathering over a period of 5 months.
Anthony Cullen was the mastermind behind the
organised crime gang. The 24-year-old co-ordinated the criminal
network with his close associate Shawn
O′Malley.
The operation reached its climax in October 2011 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%.
Anthony Cullen was with O′Malley at the time but he ran off from
the scene and was later arrested in November 2011 at his home
address in Warrington.
Lee Blackmore and Christopher
Ellison also had significant roles within the gang. The
pair produced the drugs ready for distribution at a caravan site in
Rixton on the outskirts of Warrington.
The movements of the pair were captured on surveillance footage.
The footage shows 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 in November 2011 at the
caravan site. A large quantity of Cocaine was recovered from inside
the caravan 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 then followed by a series of warrants
executed at addresses of 3 other suspects in Warrington and at one
address in North Wales.
DI
Kev Bennett of
Cheshire Police′s Force 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.
A large quantity of Cocaine of varying weights and purities
(50-60%) was seized from inside this caravan. We know that the
average purity of the drugs that would actually have been sold on
would be as little as 2 to 5%.
Members of the gang have shown a blatant disregard for the law -
with little or no thought behind the potential implications of
their illegal activities.
- Detective Inspector Kev Bennett, Force Crime Operations
Unit
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
organised crime 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:
Operation Knock follows on from the success of Operation Cortex,
which resulted in 18 men being jailed for almost 100
years behind bars.
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.
Cheshire Police is committed to tackling illegal
drugs in Warrington and detectives continued to monitor
the movements of this second organised crime gang resulting in a
number of further arrests and charges.
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 benfits from the profits
generated.
Illegal drugs have no place in Cheshire and we
will continue to work together to tackle the issue. The message is
clear − we will not tolerate any sort of illegal behaviour
within the local community and we will continue to pursue
and deal with those people who believe they can involve themselves
in this type of activity and get away with it.
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.
Information from members of the public is vital
in the fight against drug related crime and we would urge the
people of Cheshire to support the efforts of local officers. Anyone
with any information in relation to suspected drug use or supply is
urged to call Cheshire Police on 101 or
Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555
111.
- Detective Inspector Kev Bennett, Force Crime Operations
Unit
