Drug smuggling ringleader stripped of £376,000

Mar 26 2008 by Chloe Griffiths, Liverpool Daily Post

A RINGLEADER of an international drug-smuggling gang has been stripped of more than £370,000.

John Mullally was one of three men who masterminded the racket, which saw millions of pounds worth of cocaine and heroin being shipped into Britain in scaffold packaging.

The smugglers used a legitimate construction business as a front for their illegal trade.

The 20-strong gang was jailed for a total of more than 200 years in July 2006 following a police operation codenamed Lima, which watched their activities for more than a year.

Mullally, 45, formerly of Rutherford Road, Mossley Hill, was jailed for 14 years for conspiracy to supply heroin and cocaine.

Yesterday he was back before Liverpool Crown Court for a Proceeds of Crime hearing, where it was ruled he should be stripped of £376,132.

Judge Mark Brown told Mullally he had 28 days to release thousands of pounds stored in several bank accounts.

Thousands more was already being held by Merseyside Police after it was seized when he was arrested.

Judge Brown also warned Mullally he would be jailed for a further three-and-a-half years if he failed to hand over the total amount within six months.

Mullally is the first of three members of the gang to face being stripped of their ill-gotten gains this week.

David Baker, of Inchape Road, Broadgreen and Keith Burke, of Quebec Quay, Liverpool city centre, are both due to appear at the court tomorrow.

The gang’s scheme centred around a construction firm set up by Burke in Aintree, called KBE Engineering.

He received 11 years for his part in the drug-smuggling operation, while Baker was jailed for 24 years for conspiracy to supply and contempt of court.

During sentencing the court heard Burke, Mullally and Baker had played a key role in organising the gang.