Gangster brothers involved in cocaine theft from stash house ordered to pay back £81,000
Two brothers from an organised crime family who were jailed for their part in the theft of £1.2 million worth of cocaine from a Liverpool-based organised crime group have been ordered to payback £80,826 or spend nine months more in prison.
Jason, 38, and Craig Cox, 35, raided a house in Liverpool in May 2020 when they and their accomplices stole 30kg of the class A drug. In 2023 they were jailed for supplying cocaine, cannabis, conspiracy to possess criminal property, and conspiracy to commit robbery.
Their older brother Lee Cox, 41, who did not take part in the raid, was jailed for supplying cocaine, cannabis, and conspiracy to possess criminal property. He has been ordered to pay back £40,000 for his involvement in the organised crime family’s drug supply activities.
Left to right: Lee Cox, Jason Cox, Craig Cox. Credit: Greater Manchester Police
The Cox organised crime family supplied cocaine and cannabis to distributors and dealers throughout the North West of England, who would sell it to drug users. The robbery was just one part of their offending.
Jason and Lee Cox fled to the Spain and were extradited back to the UK in 2021.
All three were taken back to court today (19 February 2025) by the CPS Proceeds of Crime Division. If the Confiscation Order is not paid on time, they each face nine months in prison.
The Judge determined the following:
- Jason Cox - Total criminal benefit: £1,856,944, Available amount: £40,346, Confiscation Order: £40,346
- Craig Cox - Total criminal benefit: £1,674,443, Available amount: £40,480, Confiscation Order: £40,480
- Lee Cox - Total criminal benefit: £864,453, Available amount: £40,000, Confiscation Order: £40,000
A final confiscation hearing will take place on 28 February at Manchester Crown Court for four of their associates - Michael Nevin, Jack Brownsill, Richard Caswell, and Scott Smith.
Luke Clements, Specialist Prosecutor from the CPS Proceeds of Crime Division, said:
“We will robustly pursue the proceeds of crime, where we identify available assets, to take the profit out of organised crime.
“All three offenders were given lengthy prison sentences and risk having time added to their original sentence if they do not pay back the amount that they have available to pay their orders.
“If we find more assets in the future, the CPS can take them back to court for an increased Confiscation Order to be made against them.”
Notes to editors
- On 18 August 2023, Jason Cox (dob 22/7/1986) was sentenced to 14 years and eight months imprisonment, Craig Cox (dob 1/4/1989) received 13 years and six months imprisonment but this was reduced to 11 years on appeal, and Lee Cox (dob 12/11/1983) was sentenced to eight years at Manchester Crown Court.
- In the last five years, £450 million has been recovered from confiscation orders obtained by the CPS, ensuring that thousands of convicted criminals cannot profit from their offending. £88 million of that amount has been returned to victims of crime, by way of compensation.
- Where a defendant refuses to pay their confiscation order in a timely way, CPS Proceeds of Crime Division can invite the court to impose an additional default sentence on them of up to 14 years' imprisonment. The full debt continues to be in force until it is paid, and interest is charged against it at the civil judgement debt rate, currently 8%.