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£500,000 Cardiff heroin gang jailed for 40 years | |
(35 minutes later) | |
Seven members of a gang who were caught with £500,000 worth of heroin to be sold on the streets of Cardiff and Swansea have been jailed. | |
The group had been running a major operation to bring in the Class A drug from Liverpool. | The group had been running a major operation to bring in the Class A drug from Liverpool. |
David Cook, Damien Farrugia, David Hale, Joel Harris, Anthony Watson, Elisha Mutsunge and Joseph Thomas were jailed for 40 years. | |
A judge at Cardiff Crown Court told them they had been "blinded by greed". | |
Sentencing, Judge Tom Crowther QC told the men they had been "unable to see the effects of heroin on society at large and on other people's children". | |
'Wholesale quantities' | 'Wholesale quantities' |
The probe was initially small-scale until officers realised the scale of the dealing, the court was told. | |
The conspiracy was uncovered when police arrested Thomas - who was the man at the centre of it - outside his parents' home in Butetown, Cardiff. | |
A bag he was carrying contained £73,620 split up into smaller labelled bags. | A bag he was carrying contained £73,620 split up into smaller labelled bags. |
A search of his home found almost 5kg of heroin worth £500,000, which was split into 500g bricks. | A search of his home found almost 5kg of heroin worth £500,000, which was split into 500g bricks. |
Blackberry phones | |
Prosecutor Mike Hammett described the drugs as "wholesale quantities" and said most was stored in a bin in Thomas's garden. | Prosecutor Mike Hammett described the drugs as "wholesale quantities" and said most was stored in a bin in Thomas's garden. |
Two blackberry mobile phones also found at his address contained 1,000 messages relating to the supply of heroin. | Two blackberry mobile phones also found at his address contained 1,000 messages relating to the supply of heroin. |
Thomas was jailed for nine years. | Thomas was jailed for nine years. |
Watson, from Pentwyn, Cardiff, who the court heard provided expertise and tested the drug for quality, received six years. | Watson, from Pentwyn, Cardiff, who the court heard provided expertise and tested the drug for quality, received six years. |
Harris also received six years while Farugia was handed a five-year sentence and Cook eight years. | Harris also received six years while Farugia was handed a five-year sentence and Cook eight years. |
Mutsunge was jailed for three years and Hale was sentenced to 40 months. | |
The police operation lasted 18 months. | The police operation lasted 18 months. |