SURREY Police confiscated more than £500,000 from the leader of a drugs ring now serving a 16 years behind bars.

Christopher Monaghan was jailed in February 2015 for conspiracy to supply cocaine, conspiracy to supply drugs and three counts of money laundering.

Since then, the force’s economic crime unit has been pursuing Monaghan and an order under Proceeds of Crime Act stipulated a total of £511,799 was confiscated following the final hearing at Portsmouth Crown Court on February 15.

Detective Inspector Matthew Durkin said: “Throughout the initial investigation by our colleagues in the serious and organised crime unit it became clear Monaghan was living a lifestyle way beyond the means of his legitimate income.

“He lived in a large house worth £1.5million, paid £26,000 in cash for a high end car, spent £9,900 on holidays and bought expensive watches which we knew he couldn’t have done without the income from his drugs empire.”

Monaghan, 47, was a key player in a drugs gang who were caught red-handed by Surrey Police officers.

In 2013, they found a shipment of 21kg of high purity cocaine, worth up to £5.25m, which arrived via Heathrow, at an address in Staines and arrested him.