A DRUGS gang has been ordered to pay back nearly £60,000 of its illegal earnings.

The gang, serving a total of 27 years in prison, are believed to have earned close to £750,000 before Cleveland Police closed down their operation.

Ringleaders Ian Maynard, Kevin Anthony Campbell and Mark Anthony Holmes were ordered to pay back the cash following a Proceeds of Crime Application (Poca) at Teesside Crown Court.

They were responsible for dealing cocaine, amphetamine and cannabis across the Teesside area from their Guisborough base.

A fourth man, Paul Burke, was also convicted but was not involved in the Poca case. After raiding Campbell’s flat in Admiral Chaloner House, Guisborough, and three shipping containers in Middlesbrough a year ago, detectives recovered 21kg of amphetamine, 1kg of cocaine and 34kg of a mixing agent.

They also recovered a sawn-off shotgun from one of the containers.

They seized cash totalling £5,300 and jewellery, including a Rolex watch worth more than £8,500 and a £1,000 gold chain.

In April, Maynard was sentenced to nine years, Campbell to eight, Holmes to six and Burke to four years imprisonment.

Detective Chief Inspector Rob Donaghy, who headed the investigation into the gang, said: “We are determined to tackle organised criminals who bring misery to many families and individuals through peddling drugs on our streets.

“These criminals are ruthless and are motivated solely by greed regardless of the suffering to others.

“We will always look to identify the benefit these people have obtained from their criminality and will use available legislation to claim back their ill-gotten gains.

“The Proceeds of Crime Act is a powerful piece of legislation and I am pleased that the courts have made these orders today.

“The message to criminals and law-abiding citizens is simply that crime does not pay.”