Stephen French has admitted that he "feels sorry" for former drugs king pin Curtis Warren.
Warren was named Britain’s biggest drug dealer when he created a global web of trafficking that ended up in him being in 1997.
But the 56-year-old has spent a large portion of his adult life behind bars after his international network was busted by detectives.
The Toxteth-born criminal remains in prison after failing to cough up £198m to authorities in Jersey.
Opening up about their past relationship, Stephen French, who made his name from "taxing" drug dealers, admitted that he has sympathy for how Warren's life turned out.
Speaking about one of their more memorable meetings, French said: "We went to the same school.
"We are from the same hood. But I was a man to be feared, whereas Curtis was more of a businessman.
"He came to see me one time and he showed me his bank book. And in this bank book he had 80 million quid.
"I said 'Why are you still doing this? Can't you make a lifestyle for yourself, can't you retire?'
"And he said to me 'Stephen what am I going to do? Go home and watch daytime TV? I am a career criminal and I always will be'."
Stephen believes Warren has spent almost all of his adult life in and out of prison.
He added: "I feel sorry for Curtis. I hope he can have a life when he comes home."
Stephen French, who was nicknamed The Devil, has convictions dating back to 1972 and spent a massive portion of his adult life as a "tax man" around Liverpool.
Discussing his violent past, French said: "You get the product, money or cash you get out and you tie the people up when you leave, it's as simple as that.
"I didn't do it for any dislike of the narcotics trade. That wasn't my motivation. My motivation was I wanted the money."
Stephen gave the insight to his past while filming for a Channel 5 documentary about Liverpool's gangland and how those involved in organised crime are getting younger and younger.
He said: "They're desensitised and dehumanised.
"There's a breed now who will shoot you and go home and play Xbox and not even think about it.
"You see them on the wing and they have still got 28 years in prison still to do.
"You look at them and they haven't got their gold, they haven't got their watches and every one of them wishes they could reset the clock."
Issuing a stark warning to anyone involved with or thinking of a life of crime, French told the ECHO: "I only got involved with programme, as you will see in later episodes, to highlight the futility of a life of crime.
"It ends either in death or jail. My brother was murdered and I went to jail - it's a mugs game."
You can catch the first episode of Executed on the Streets: Gang Wars on Channel5.com or watch the next episode on Monday at 10pm.
