A DRUGS gang who tried to flood Newport with heroin have been ordered to pay back a fraction of what they earned from crime.

David Toon, Philip O’Donnell and Roger Lyon were jailed for a total of 20 years for being involved in a gang attempting to bring the drug into the city between 2011 and 2012, earning at least £80,000 between them from their lives of crime.

But the only assets which can be seized from them are a laptop, a car and two oil paintings, Cardiff Crown Court heard last week.

Toon, 43, of Marcroft Road, Swansea, O’Donnell, 39, of Williton Road, Llanrhymney, Cardiff, and Lyon, 39, of Beach Road, Weston-super-mare, admitted conspiracy to supply heroin at a hearing in April.

An 18-month police investigation found they were travelling between Liverpool, south-west England and Newport to arrange the transport of the drug.

More than 2kg of heroin, with a street value of £200,000, was seized during a search of Toon’s home.

In May this year Tim Evans, prosecuting, said automatic number plate recognition caught O’Donnell and Lyon in Liverpool buying drugs. The men were also seen meeting a well-known drug dealer in the Bristol area.

When they were sentenced Matthew Roberts, defending Toon, who was jailed for nine years, said the former car salesman got involved following the breakdown of his marriage, which left him penniless, and was “a cog in a much larger machine”.

Toon was made subject of a Serious Crime Prevention Order, restricting his movements for five years following his release and preventing him from holding more than one registered mobile phone along with vehicle and residency restrictions.

Robert Duvall, mitigating for Lyon, jailed for seven years, said he was an honest and hard-working man, who became involved in a bid to clear around £4,000 of debt, and bitterly regretted his actions.

Peter Harding Roberts, representing O’Donnell, who was sent to prison for three and a half years, said the former doorman simply provided mobile phones.

At Cardiff Crown Court, Mr Evans said Toon benefited by at least £50,000 from crime in general but that his available assets amounted to two oil paintings, worth £6,990.

Judge Neil Bidder QC gave a confiscation order for the amount, to be carried out within six months or else Toon could face an additional 18 months behind bars.

O’Donnell benefited by £2,000 and police must now sell his laptop within two months to raise £100, or the defendant could be jailed for an additional seven days.

Lyon benefited by “at least £20,500” said Mr Evans, but his only asset is a Vauxhall Frontera car worth £492. It is to be sold within three months or Lyon could see 14 days added to his sentence.