CAMBRIDGESHIRE police are the best in the country at getting back proceeds of crime, recovering more than £2.5million during 2004/2005. For the first time, the county s police have won top place in a Home Office table detailing amounts each force has retr

CAMBRIDGESHIRE police are the best in the country at getting back proceeds of crime, recovering more than £2.5million during 2004/2005.

For the first time, the county's police have won top place in a Home Office table detailing amounts each force has retrieved.

The county's police have hit criminals in their pockets, getting back £2,695,434.

Det Chief Insp Paul Fulwood, head of Cambridgeshire's serious and organised crime department, said: "The figures show Cambridgeshire police are the most efficient and effective force in the country when it comes to hitting criminals where it hurts most - in their bank balances."

Hailed as an example of the force's excellence is the smashing of the drugs cartel operated by the Warden family.

Ringleaders Mavis and Barry Warden and a gang of 12 built up their drugs empire from a council house in Belt Drove, Elm, funding a flash lifestyle including top-of-the-range cars, Caribbean holidays and speedboats.

Police infiltrated the gang during a six-month undercover operation entitled Morpheus and have subsequently recovered £300,000 of drugs, £78,000 cash plus cars and a boat.

Mr Fulwood said: "A number of cases are currently going through the courts which could net us further hundreds of thousands of pounds.

"Our aim is to see the cash gained from criminals put back into fighting more crime."

Other police forces are now asking Cambridgeshire police to share their strategies for collecting criminals' spoils.