Tobin brothers ordered £20m shipment of cocaine across UK

Five men have pleaded guilty to their parts in the ring after 186kg of cocaine was seized by police.

Among them were Alan Tobin, of Regency Park in Widnes, and John Tobin - the brothers who were in charge of the ‘mainstream suppliers’.

The pair, aged 51 and 40 respectively, supplied ‘huge amounts’ of the class A drug to the notorious Cullen gang and instructed an organised crime group run by Jamie Simpson to courier a £20million shipment from Kent to Warrington on their behalf.

Jamie Simpson

Their operation was also responsible for selling cocaine to Jamie Oldroyd’s OCG and to other gangs across the country – including in Scotland, London, North Wales, Cornwall, West Yorkshire, Cumbria, Manchester and Humberside.

Simon Leech was recruited to act as a ‘conduit’ to liaise between the brothers and other members who were tasked with running ‘day-to-day’ operations.

Robbie Broughton’s role was to collect cash from customers, while the 38-year-old also ‘enforced’ debts by issuing threats.

Meanwhile Brian McQuillan transported large amounts of cash across the country on behalf of the ‘smooth, successful and profitable criminal organisation’.

But their dealings were disrupted by three major police investigations which brought down key criminal bosses Lee Stoba, Anthony Cullen and Oldroyd.

Anthony Cullen

During a covert operation, John Tobin was seen meeting with Cullen, Broughton and Robert Bibby – an associate of the Cullens – at a countryside café where they discussed the supply of drugs.

Alan Tobin was also observed in the company of Oldroyd and Simpson at another café in Warrington.

But when large amounts of drugs and cash from the likes of the Cullens, Oldroyd and Simpson were seized by police, the Tobins became ‘more hands on’ due to these gangs running up big debts.

Jamie Oldroyd

On one occasion, a ‘heated argument’ took place between Alan Tobin and Cullen in a pub car park in the town.

In September last year, their own operation was targeted during a series of raids in Widnes, Warrington and St Helens.

Alan and John Tobin, of no fixed address but from Liverpool respectively, have both now admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine, heroin, ketamine and cannabis.

Broughton, of St Helens, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine, ketamine and cannabis and 51-year-old McQuillan, of Warrington, admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine.

And 29-year-old Leech, from Warrington, admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine at Liverpool Crown Court today, Monday.

Detective chief inspector Mike Evans, of Cheshire Police’s serious and organised crime unit, said: “Taking down the mainstream supplier of drugs to three big organised crime groups operating in Warrington was the final piece of the jigsaw.

“The brothers sat at the very top of the chain.

“They were provided with greater protection to prevent them from being identified as leaders of the organised crime group.

“At first they sat back and reaped the rewards of their criminality by displaying a lavish lifestyle while employing Broughton, Leech and McQuillan to run the business.

“For a while, their criminal enterprise was seen to be getting bigger and bigger until we began running a number of operations on the gangs they were supplying drugs to.

“Once we started seizing large quantities of drugs and cash, problems arose and the Tobin’s soon began to surface as huge debts were owed – the colossal seizure of 186kg of cocaine saw their reputation ruined.

“The investigation team has worked relentlessly to collate evidence that shows the brothers’ involvement in these conspiracies over a period of up to nine years.

“Their hard work and determination has paid dividends and resulted in five guilty pleas and justice finally catching up with them all.”

All five defendants are set to be sentenced in April.

Cheshire police and crime commissioner David Keane added: “This an enormous achievement in Cheshire’s fight against those involved in serious and organised crime.

“The sheer hard work, determination and successful results over many years to get to this point is commendable and testament to how hard officers work to protect the communities they serve.”

Cullen was previously jailed for 27 years in January 2019 after the 33-year-old, from Warrington, admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine.

Simpson, also aged 33 and of Warrington, was given 11 years behind bars in June the same year after being caught in a police sting on the M6 near Knutsford while the £20million cocaine shipment – one of the biggest drug seizures in UK history – was in progress.

Oldroyd, also from Warrington, was caged for 14 years and three months after the 30-year-old built up his racket behind the façade of a successful car dealership.