A CONVICTED drug dealer has been required to pay a half million pound confiscation order today at Bristol Crown Court.

A benefit figure of £523,310.80 was identified against Paul McNulty, aged 51, who is currently in HMP Liverpool.

McNulty, formerly of Grenadier Drive in Liverpool was convicted on January 8, 2016 at Bristol Crown Court having pleaded guilty to two offences - conspiracy to supply 1.2 kilos of cocaine and concealing criminal property (cash recovered from his home address).

Operation Zeus a drugs operation run by Avon and Somerset Police was targeting the distribution of controlled drugs across the South West.

At 2.50pm on Tuesday, September 15, 2015 police stopped an Audi motor vehicle on the A38 Woodford South Gloucestershire.

In the rear of the vehicle a package was recovered containing 1.2 kilograms of cocaine, with an estimated street value of £120,000.

The kilo of cocaine was hidden inside a “Peppa Pig” plastic tea set, inside a cardboard wrapper, covered in brown parcel tape, which was together with a birthday card, giving the appearance of an unopened gift for a child.

Forensic examination of the containers and packaging found the defendant’s fingerprints on the inside of the cardboard packaging, also on the outside handle of the box and on the shopping carrier bag in which the parcel had been placed.

As a result police executed a Misuse of Drugs Act warrant on November, 30 2015 in Grenadier Drive in Liverpool, the home of McNulty.

During the search police found various quantities of cash hidden in the property including some concealed above a cooker hood and behind a false skirting board under the stairs.

It total £422,682.75 was found plus a further 44,840 Euros were seized.

Also recovered from the address was a cash-counting machine, champagne and a Rolex watch.

The defendant was charged on December 1, 2015 and at Bristol Crown Court on January 8 last year admitted conspiracy to supply a class A drug and also of concealing criminal property.

He was jailed for seven years.

McNulty has three months to pay the confiscation order £523,310.80, which includes the cash seized.

Failure to pay could result in a further sentence of five years in prison when he completes his current prison term.

Dr Kirstie Cogram, manager of Avon and Somerset Police’s Financial Investigation Unit said: "We are committed to seizing any assets that criminals have gained as a result of crime.

"It is not acceptable that criminals benefit from illegal activities and we will relentlessly pursue them through the courts to ensure their money is taken.

"By doing this we show criminals that they will not benefit from crime and hopefully deter others from entering a life of crime."