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Members of a drugs gang who plotted to flood South Wales with £1m of class A drugs have been jailed for a total of more than 50 years.

Cardiff Crown Court was told police uncovered a “professional, well-organised, drug supply gang operating in south Wales and that when vehicles were followed, the source led them to the north-west of England - with it becoming obvious that the source was in Liverpool.

The crime is said to have taken place over “eight or nine months” since October 2015 with prosecutor Ieuan Bennett telling the court: “The maths takes you to the million pound level”.

Eight men, six of who are from Cardiff, all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply.

Mark Cruise, 37, of Paget Street, Cardiff, was jailed for nine years.

Marcus Thompson, 38, of Channel View Road, Cardiff, was jailed for nine years.

Shaun Harris, 37, of Reservoir Street, Liverpool, was jailed for eight-and-a-half years.

Stephen Fenton, 38, of Heol Carnau, Cardiff, was jailed for seven years.

Warren Pesticcio, 28, of Heol Terrell, Cardiff, was jailed for six-and-a-half years.

Paul Jewitt, 37, of Holmesdale Street, Cardiff, was jailed for six years.

Mark Taylor, 56, of Lingwell Park, Widnes, was jailed for five years.

Kyle Gallagher, 29, of Broad Street, Cardiff, was jailed for three years.

Thompson, Cruise, Pesticcio, Jewitt and Fenton were all involved in moving heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine.

Taylor, Gallagher and Harris were found not guilty of conspiring to supply crack cocaine.

Prosecuting, Mr Bennett said: “Whatever was originally supplied by Mr Harris via Mr Taylor, it was being adulterated in South Wales.”

“The expression ‘doubled up’ is used on the papers. That was to increase the profit margin from the original supply.

“The purity of the cocaine being supplied by Mr Harris via Mr Taylor was well over 70% purity. That inevitably, in the police’s view, has put Mr Harris closer to the original source than would otherwise be the case.

“The purity level of that sort of drug drops down to 10% by the time it gets to the street.”

The court heard “kilos or half-kilos” were being passed on to other suppliers.

“It was a big wholesale operation,” Mr Bennett said.

“If one accepts the evidence your honour will have heard yesterday, from the officer Mr Banks, at least 12 kilos of class A drugs were supplied before December 15.”

Mr Bennett said: “The profits from this sort of thing are huge, which is why people became involved.”

The ringleaders in Wales were Cruise and Thompson.

“The other members of the conspiracy were effectively working for them,” Mr Bennett said.

“Cruise and Thompson were effectively business partners.”

The court heard Pesticcio rose to take over the “serious running of the business” after Cruise and Thompson. Jewitt was “a trusted friend” of Thompson and Cruise who dealt with transporting money to pay off debts. Fenton would travel to the north-west every “10 days or so” to pick up drugs.

Gallagher was the most junior, having joined the operation “later in the day.”

“Mark Taylor was not from South Wales and worked for Shaun Harris, and he is someone who lived in the north-west of England,” Mr Bennett said.

Harris attempted to stay in the background and Taylor usually took the greater risk by showing his face more often.

“But even Harris came down to South Wales on one occasion to ensure the operation was worth his risk and investment,” Mr Bennett said.

In Cardiff some of the cocaine was being turned into crack cocaine, because more money could be made from it.

When Cruise was arrested he was in possession of bicarbonate of soda.

“That is used to turn cocaine into crack-cocaine,” Mr Bennett said.

In mitigation Timothy Hartland, defending Cruise said, apart from owning a Rolex, his client was not living a lavish lifestyle.

Defending Thompson, David Elias told the court he had entered a guilty plea at the first opportunity and said: “Mr Thompson has always accepted his leading role.”

Rhodri Chudleigh represented Taylor and told the court he pleaded guilty early. “He is not involved with count three which relates to crack cocaine, that was adulterated in Cardiff,” Mr Chudleigh said.

Derrick Gooden, representing Jewitt, said his client had known Thompson and Cruise for “a long time” and that he often saw them for “legitimate reasons.”

“But he accepts by entering his guilty plea he is now involved in a conspiracy,” Mr Gooden said.

Andrew Shannon, for Fenton, said any loss of credit for his client “should be minimal as he was not at the top end.”

David Sedgwick, representing Pesticcio said: “Its fair to say Mr Pesticcio is ashamed of his part in this escapade.”

Robert Chudleigh, for Gallagher, told the court: “Mr Gallagher was acting naively.”

Nigel Power, defending Harris, told the court: “The fact that Mr Harris was unable to lay his hands for six weeks on anything that could be sent to Cardiff demonstrates his influence, or lack of it.”

What the Crown Prosecution Service said:

Gemma Vincent, Senior Crown Prosecutor said: “This was a complex, organised criminal operation that had links to supply networks based in Liverpool and the West Midlands that providing them with access to significant quantities of class A drugs.

“The CPS presented a strong case, following a thorough investigation, which included a large amount of surveillance material and mobile phone data to show the extent of the criminal activity.

“People who live in communities affected by drug dealing know only too well the misery it brings.

Not only do drugs destroy the lives of those addicted to them, but their presence acts as a catalyst for other types of crime within the community.

"The Crown Prosecution Service is committed to playing our part in ensuring that those involved in the supply of drugs are brought to justice and prevented from enjoying the profits from their destructive actions.”

What South Wales Police said:

Detective Inspector Tudor Thomas, said: “These individuals were significant suppliers to the class a drug market within Cardiff and thought they could keep one step ahead of police by moving to another force area but in reality this only made them more vulnerable.

“South Wales Police will relentlessly pursue those persons who supply these harmful drugs into our communities and are committed to responding effectively to such activity to keep South Wales safe.”