DRUGS and firearms gang boss Leon Cullen has been jailed for 22-and-a-half years.

Formerly Warrington’s most wanted man before his capture in Dubai last year, the 33-year-old was locked up at Liverpool Crown Court today, Friday.

Warrington Guardian:

He had previously admitted conspiracy to supply firearms, conspiracy to possess firearms and ammunition and conspiracy to supply cocaine.

Sentencing, judge Gary Woodhall said: "You, together with your brother, were the heads of an organised crime group.

"Your business was the supply of wholesale quantities of high purity cocaine and dealings with weapons, including a lethal cache of firearms.

"This was a sophisticated, well planned, well prepared, successful, persistent criminal operation.

"Substantial profit was the aim of the conspiracy.

"Your drug dealing shows complete disregard for the impact on our society.

"Drugs wreak havoc on people's lives, causing them to turn to crime themselves.

"You ignored or did not care about those consequences for financial reward."

READ MORE: Shootings, grenades and Maseratis: Leon Cullen's £300k-a-month gang and years on the run

Cullen – formerly of Honister Avenue in Orford – and his twin brother Anthony were the leaders of a major cocaine racket which brought in profits of up to £290,000 per month.

Their ring also sold and rented guns to others in the criminal underworld.

But a series of dawn raids by Cheshire Police in January 2018 saw the gang brought down after an 18-month investigation codenamed Operation Samurai.

Five guns and ammunition were recovered from the loft of an address on Rylands Drive in Carrington Park when officers executed search warrants, while another was discovered in a wicker basket at the foot a bed along with bullets.

These firearms included an AK47, a pump action shotgun, automatic pistols and revolvers as well as a silencer.

Members were subsequently jailed for a combined total of 185 years, with Anthony – of Colemere Close in Padgate – having been handed 27 years behind bars.

However, Leon – who appeared in court via video link to HMP Manchester – managed to evade capture on the strike date and remained at large for nearly two years.

READ MORE: Leon Cullen's sentencing as it happened in court

He was subsequently detained on an international arrest warrant in the United Arab Emirates in January 2020, before being extradited back to the UK in February this year.

Warrington Guardian:

Cullen in custody after being extradited back to the UK

Detective chief inspector Mike Evans, of the force's serious and organised crime unit, said: “Leon operated a network that was widespread and included the supply of cocaine and firearms to other organised crime groups across the north west.

“When he fled the country in 2018, a significant policing operation began that was built on information from the local community along with other sensitive networks that centred on uncovering the identity that he was using to travel.

“Once we knew the details of the false passport that had been sought to him from his associates, it was then easy to narrow him down to the United Arab Emirates.

“All of this came from really good police work.

"Once we had the identity he was using, we were able to work with other law enforcement partners, the National Crime Agency and authorities in the United Arab Emirates, to establish where he was using those details - which led us to the arrest.

“Leon was the leader of the organised crime group alongside his brother Anthony, but we know there are still people in the community who are close to him and are continuing his criminality.

“My message to those people is we will come for you.

"We will take the same action that we have taken against Leon and Anthony because we are determined to make Cheshire really hostile for those involved in organised crime and we will continue to work relentlessly to achieve that.”

Cullen could be ordered to pay back his ill-gotten gains during a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing back before the same court later this year.