A former Maidstone man was involved in a huge drugs deal that saw one of his accomplices ordered to pay back almost half a million pounds.

A confiscation order was made against Mark Dinnage, 36, formerly of Boxley Road, Maidstone.

In 2015, he was also convicted of conspiracy to supply cocaine between September 2 2014 and November 20 2014 and jailed for six years.

At the confiscation hearing it was determined Dinnage gained £202,620 from his crimes.

He was ordered to pay back £153,710. Dinnage has three months to pay, or will serve an additional sentence of two years and three months in prison.

Accomplice Tony Kolicaj has been ordered to pay back almost half a million pounds of unlawful earnings under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

Kolicaj was jailed for 10 years in December 2015 for his role in an organised crime group responsible for supplying large volumes of cocaine throughout Kent.

Kolicaj, 36, formerly of Whitley Road, Hoddeson, was one of 12 offenders convicted following an investigation led by the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate. During the investigation, officers seized more than four kilograms of Class A drugs, as well as cash totalling hundreds of thousands of pounds.

When Kolicaj later appeared before Maidstone Crown Court he pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine between September 2 2014 and November 20 2014.

The Proceeds of Crime Act is used to claim back money offenders have gained from their crimes. If the offender can't pay back the money in full, another order can be made if the offender comes into more assets.

Following the sentence Kent Police made an application to the same court for a confiscation order and it has now been determined Kolicaj benefited from his criminal conduct by £1million.

On January 27 Kolicaj was ordered to pay back £490,399.

He has three months to pay or will receive an additional four-and-a-half years on top of his current sentence and then still have to pay the money back.

Detective Inspector Annie Clayton, of Kent Police’s Serious Economic Crime Unit said: "This successful application under the Proceeds of Crime Act effectively means neither Kolicaj nor Dinnage will be able to profit from their crimes.

"The supply and use of drugs can have devastating consequences within our communities and it is therefore really pleasing the courts are now able to seize back the vast sums of money these two have accrued from their criminal activities. Some of this money can be used to help improve the service we give to the people of Kent."