A POLICE raid uncovered a "sweet shop" of drugs worth £172,650 in the home of a wannabe gangster.

This afternoon John Atkinson was jailed for six years for the biggest ever haul of such a variety of narcotics in south Cumbria.

Investigating officer, Detective Constable Cheryl Smith, said the mixture stashed away around the house included 1,066 tablets of LSD, heroin, cocaine, 1,500 mephedrone tablets, 2,260 ecstasy tablets and 600 grammes of amphetamine.

All the narcotics were hidden in the chest freezer and fridge in the home Atkinson shared with his partner, 37-year-old Christina Russell, and four children.

The 36-year-old admitted five counts of possession with intent to supply. He was going to be jailed for nine years but that was reduced after he pleaded guilty at the first opportunity.

At Preston Crown Court today Russell was given a nine-month jail term, suspended for two years, for money laundering.

The officer said they also seized £2,000 in cash on July 31.

After police swooped on their Westway address, Barrow, the pair disappeared.

DC Smith said: "When we executed the warrant under the misuse of drugs act the property was empty and Atkinson and Russell were not there. They had gone on the run.

"We put out a media appeal and believed Atkinson had contacts in west Cumbria, Blackpool and the Fleetwood area.

"On Tuesday August 4, Russell was stopped by a Lancashire police officer and was arrested.

"He was arrested on September 29 in Blackpool.

"This sentence reflects how serious the courts take drug supply. People who involve themselves in the supply of controlled drugs must expect to receive terms of imprisonment.

"This case involves a local man who has committed drugs offences before and would like to think of himself as a gangster. He had hidden a vast amount and a large variety of drugs around his home, all destined for the streets of Barrow.

“Russell was very aware of what Atkinson was doing and knew he was using their home as a base in which to supply drugs. It was also her account in which all proceeds of his crimes were going.

“Police work hard to tackle drugs in Barrow and a lot of work goes on behind the scenes to build up such cases so that we can take early, preventative steps like this to stop illegal drug supply. We rely on the community informing us of suspicious activity or information around illegal drug use or supply in the area. If you have any information please get in touch.”

Anyone who wishes to contact the police can do so on 101, or alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.