A vicious cocaine ring, which used guns including an AK-47 assault rifle to 'instil fear' into a community and paid its members a 'salary' have been jailed.
The gang, based in Warrington, Cheshire, is the biggest ever uncovered in Cheshire raked in £290,000 profit-a-month supplying cocaine and cannabis.
Shocked police said its arsenal of weapons, including a pump-action shotgun and automatic pistols, was like 'something out of a film' and could have caused 'devastation'
An arsenal of weapons used by the gang was recovered by police included a functioning AK-series rifle, a pump-action shotgun, automatic pistols and revolvers as well as a silencer
The Warrington-based cocaine ring, which is the biggest ever uncovered in Cheshire has been jailed for a total of 185 years. Last Friday at Liverpool Crown Court gang leaders Anthony Cullen, right, and Chris Houghton, left, were sentenced to 27 and 20 years respectively.
In total Cheshire Police seized £205,680.00 in cash during Operation Samurai.
Last Friday at Liverpool Crown Court gang leaders Anthony Cullen, 31, and Chris Houghton, 40, were sentenced to 27 and 20 years respectively.
Their 18 'foot soldiers' and 'lieutenants' received sentences of up to 13 years and eight months, thanks to the police operation code-named 'Samurai'.
Afterwards Geoffrey Fryar, of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS), said: 'There was evidence that Cullen paid his 'employees' wages.
'Trusted members of the gang were provided with cars and accommodation. The bill for wages and rent on places to store drugs ran to £50,000 per month.'
Det Chief Insp Mike Evans, of Cheshire Police, said: 'An influential and established organised crime group has been brought to justice and dismantled.
'Their activity centred on wealth, intimidation and instilling fear into the local community.
'Cullen ruled the roost and gave out orders.
'He was clever and made sure he was one step removed from his crimes yet dealt with those who got in his way.
'The money they made from drug dealing was huge but it came with many risks and dangers as their attention turned to the use of firearms and ammunition.
'The cache seizure we recovered is the largest we have ever had in Cheshire..'
Officers from Cheshire Police's Serious Organised Crime Unit (SOCU) were responsible for uncovering the gang's crimes.
Cullen and his gang operated in Warrington, Winsford, in Cheshire, and also Bangor in North Wales.
Ringleader Cullen's operation was described by police as 'risky and often nasty' as he and his associates - Chris Houghton, Sean Ryan, Jason Eastens and
