A GANG who ran a drug farm in Ammanford have been jailed for more than 60 years after police caught them with £450,000 of cocaine at an M4 services.
Seven men have been sentenced after they were each convicted of being involved in the supply of Class A and B drugs at previous hearings at Cardiff Crown Court.
The jury heard officers from the force’s Organised Crime Unit confronted driver Stuart Jarman at Membury Services on the M4 on March 15 this year – and discovered 2kg of cocaine. Analysis of the Class A drug found it was 80% pure with a street value of £450,000.
Jarman’s arrest led officers to six other gang members – as well as a large-scale cannabis factory in Ammanford and another in Waunarlwyd, as well as an illegally-held live handgun.
The gang are starting lengthy sentences after being convicted of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs.
Lyndon Evans, 37, of Wind Street, Ammanford, has been jailed for nine years.
Stuart Jarman, 41, of Garden City, Rhymney, has been jailed for 6 years.
Lec Gjoka, 42, of Greenwich, London, has been jailed for 14 years.
Jason Theobald, 42, of Hill Street, Rhymney, has been jailed for 10 years.
John Knight, 36, of Pleasant Street, Pentre, jailed for 18 years.
Evans and Knight had also admitted a separate charge of conspiring to supply cannabis, alongside Anthony Vobe, 41, of Garnant, Ammanford, who was jailed for three years for conspiracy to supply cannabis.
A seventh defendant, Richard Phillips, 51, of Barnabas Close, Waunarlwydd, Swansea, was jailed for two-and-a-half years after he pleaded guilty to possessing a firearm whilst banned from doing so due to previous convictions, and conspiracy to produce cannabis.
It was at his farm that officers located the firearm and one cannabis factory.
The second cannabis factory was located in Ammanford and – at the time of being raided – had the potential to net the gang a further estimated £70,000.
Acting Detective Inspector Steve Gardner said: “The sentencing is the result of a long-term investigation into the organised supply of Class A and Class B controlled drugs by offenders who, despite the majority residing outside of the South Wales force area, were having a significant impact upon the communities of South Wales.
“This crime group was organised, calculated, extremely profitable and had no regard for the communities that their drugs would be sold in.
“South Wales Police is committed to tackling those who supply controlled drugs and will use all tactics available to keep our communities safe. We will investigate offenders far and wide if they are impacting upon our communities and preying upon the most vulnerable within them.”
Anyone with information about illegal drug activity in their communities should report it via 101, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
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