Five charged following drugs operation

Five people have been charged with drugs offences as part of an operation by the South Wales Police’s Force Intelligence and Organised Crime Unit.

Throughout this week, officers executed a number of pre-planned warrants in the Bridgend, Port Talbot, Lancashire and Oxfordshire areas as part of Operation Wizard.

Five people were arrested, in addition to two individuals who have previously charged with drugs offences as part of the ongoing operation.

The following have now been charged with drugs offences:

Phase 1 – August 2021

• Shane White, aged 33, from the Port Talbot area
• Daniel Baker, 29, from the Sandfields area

Phase 2 – November 2021

• Steven Hughes, 46, from Abercynon
• Steven Semmens, 38, from Taibach
• Luke Thomas, 21, from North Connelly

During the third phase of the operation a 41-year-old man from Oxford and a 42-year-old man from Lancashire were arrested and are currently in police custody.

The five have been charged with varying offences including conspiring to supply Class A drugs.

Detective Inspector Russell Jenkins said:

“Operation Wizard has seen great success so far, with officers having seized drugs, cash and property during the enforcement phase.

“During the enforcement phases, £49,000 in cash, several mobile devices which have been key to the investigation, a taser disguised as a torch and an amount of ketamine and cannabis was recovered as part of the operation.

 “Illegal drugs have no place in our society and we will continue to work together to target those whose criminal activities blight the lives of the communities of southern Wales.

“We are committed to disrupting and dismantling organised crime groups, bringing people before the courts and removing drugs from our streets.”

Anyone who has information about the supply of drugs in the community should call the police on 101 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555111.  In an emergency call 999.