Hull Drug Gang Busted: £500k Worth of Class A Seized
A ruthless organised crime gang led by Paul Cahalin, 39, from Falkland Road, Hull, has been slammed behind bars for peddling vast amounts of Class A drugs across the city between May 2018 and January 2019.
Multi-Kilo Haul of Drugs Confiscated
The Humberside Police’s Specialist Serious and Organised Crime Unit swooped on the gang, seizing around four kilos of heroin, 360 grams of cocaine, 50 grams of crack cocaine, and a whopping 24 kilos of amphetamine.
The haul’s street value? A staggering £500,000. Plus, officers nabbed about £25,000 in cash during their investigations. Experts reckon the gang raked in several million pounds running the operation.
Leaders and Key Players Sent Down
- Paul Cahalin – Kingpin jailed for 18 years.
- Innocenzo Bonaccorso, 28, Hull – Lit up for 13½ years. Managed cutting and wholesale distribution.
- Steven Abbott, 52, Hull – Eight years inside. Handled transport, storage, and worked closely with Max Sands.
- Max Sands, 25, Winteringham – Four years locked up for trafficking drugs between north-west England and Hull.
- William Burrows, 52, Hessle – Seven years for dealing large volumes.
- Klaudian Liberko, 25, Hull – Eight-month suspended sentence as drug storage manager.
Another key player, a storage manager at a Victoria Parade property, was sentenced to five years in August 2019.
Sophisticated Network with Liverpool and Manchester Links
Police uncovered an elaborate telecom network that allowed the gang to secure wholesale drugs from Liverpool and Manchester. On 29 August 2018, officers caught a kilo of heroin and eight kilos of amphetamine in Max Sands’ vehicle on the M62 near Howden.
Bonaccorso was caught with a serious stash on Victoria Parade in December 2018, prompting raids that uncovered further controlled substances hidden in a bedroom safe and even a freezer.
Humber Police Praise Public Support
“The scale of this organised crime group was significant. The volumes of drugs and their methods posed a major risk to the public,” said Detective Chief Inspector Iain Pottage.
“Thanks to digital forensic analysis, CCTV, and covert tactics, we dismantled a dangerous criminal network. These sentences will hit the drug trade in Hull hard.”
“We urge the public to keep sharing information. It all helps build the bigger picture needed for successful prosecutions.”
DCI Pottage urged anyone with tips to call the non-emergency 101 line or contact local officers. In emergencies, always dial 999. For anonymous reports, contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Judge Hails ‘Excellent and Well-Planned Policing Operation’
The judge praised the police for their meticulous work in crushing Hull’s dangerous drug empire. The case sends a clear warning to criminals operating in the region: crime doesn’t pay.
