A MAN from Chorley has been jailed for his role in a multi-million pound drugs ring.

Darren Gill, 27, of Anderton Crescent, is beginning nine years behind bars, after pleading guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin as part of the drugs ring.

Gill is one of six people who were sentenced to a combined total of 98 years in prison today following a three-month police investigation.

The criminal empire has unravelled following the seizure by police of cocaine, heroin and MDMA valued at over £2.7 million.

The network was headed up by Gary O’Regan who controlled the operations from southern Spain, before returning to England in January 2018 and continuing his illicit activities from his home in Salford.

Two of his co-conspirators, Paul Higginson and Sam O’Neill, worked on O’Regan’s instructions and made journeys across the country disseminating the drugs as far afield as Sunderland, Middlesbrough, Kettering, the West Midlands and Wales.

O’Regan was the first member of the group to be arrested.

On Wednesday, February 14 last year, a surveillance team observed him parked in a car park in Trafford Park. A short time later, O’Neill drove in to the car park and got out of his silver BMW X5. He was carrying a white-coloured bag which he handed over to his boss before they both left the car park.

Officers from the tactical firearms unit pursued the crime boss and stopped him on the M62 as he drove towards Liverpool. A white bag was found under the driver’s seat which contained a gun and eight rounds of ammunition.

He was also found to be in possession of a number of mobile phones and a highly sophisticated encrypted mobile device.

Following his arrest, officers continued to investigate the remainder of the group as Higginson stepped up and became the new head of the drugs ring.

The court heard how in February last year the group had flown a Hungarian amphetamine expert into Manchester from Germany.

One of the group’s associates, Patrick Warde, drove to a hotel in Heywood and collected the man before taking him to his home address in Middleton, where they were later met by Higginson and O’Neill.

The following day, O’Neill, Warde and the amphetamine expert visited a specialist glass producer, where they spent over £3,000 on lab equipment capable of being used in the production of amphetamines.

On Wednesday, March 7 last year, a surveillance team watched on as Sam O’Neill and his wife Jennifer drove in to the car park of the Grosvenor casino in Salford in their silver BMW X5. Here, they met with Darren Gill and passed him a shoe box with a pink-coloured lid.

The following day, O’Neill was driving Warde’s black Citroen Berlingo northbound on the M6 when he was stopped and arrested by officers.

In the rear of the van police recovered 30kg of high purity cocaine, which had been placed in shoe boxes with distinctive coloured lids, some of which were identical to the one handed to Gill the previous day. He was also in possession of a number of mobile telephones, and another encrypted handset.

Following his arrest, Sam O’Neill’s home address was searched and one kilogram of cocaine was recovered in the vehicle belonging to his wife. Officers discovered that she had met with Higginson earlier that day in a car park and he had given her the cocaine.

Officers also searched a café and bar on Market Street in Hyde, a property for which O’Neill was the licensee. In the café, police recovered two and a half kilograms of cocaine, half a kilogram of heroin and almost one kilogram of MDMA, along with other drug paraphernalia such as scales, vacuum packing equipment and empty kilogram bags.

There were also a number of empty shoe boxes, some of which were identical to the one handed to Gill and those recovered in the Citroen Berlingo driven by O’Neill when he was arrested.

On April 17 last year officers arrested Warde, Higginson and Gill. Warde was found to be in possession of a mobile telephone and an encrypted handset, as well as £4,000 in cash. Higginson had just over £14,000 in cash and a large amount of designer clothing. Gill had one eighth of a kilogram of cocaine hidden inside a cooker hood, and just over half a kilogram of cannabis in his loft, as well as £12,000 cash.

The group were sentenced today at Manchester Crown Court.

Gary O’Regan, 34, of Derby Road, Salford was found guilty of conspiracy to supply cocaine. He had earlier pleaded guilty to possession of a firearm and ammunition, and conspiracy to produce amphetamine and has been jailed for 24 years.

Paul Higginson, 40 of Metcalf Close, Kirkby was found guilty of conspiracy to supply cocaine. He had earlier pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce amphetamine and has been jailed for 21 years.

Sam O’Neill, 35, of Hattersley Road West, Hattersley pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin, conspiracy to produce amphetamine, and possession of a firearm and ammunition and has been jailed for 19 years and six months.

Patrick Warde, 52 of Carruthers Close, Heywood was found guilty of conspiracy to supply cocaine and conspiracy to produce amphetamine and has been jailed for 21 years.

Jennifer O’Neill, 31 of Hattersley Road West was found guilty of conspiracy to supply cocaine and has been jailed for four years.