Rhondda organised crime group jailed for more than 70 years

 

A further six people have been sentenced for the part they played in an organised crime group run by two Rhondda brothers.

Thomas Davies, 38, and Jack Davies, 37, both of Buckley Road, Trealaw, had both been jailed earlier in the year.

On Friday, June 21, the remaining six defendants were sentenced at Newport Crown Court to a total of 37 years and 10 months.

In total, nine defendants have now been sentenced to a combined total of 71 years and five months for the roles they played in a large-scale family-run conspiracy to supply cocaine.

Their illegal operation began to unravel when on July 23, 2020, Gavin Etchell was stopped by police on the A40 in Monmouth for a separate matter. Data downloaded from the devices which were seized from him at the time, showed he was supplying cocaine on behalf of Thomas Davies.

On February 9, 2021, officers executed a number of search warrants targeting the Davies brothers when they uncovered a drugs factory operating from a garage on Partridge Road, Trealaw. More than two kilograms of cocaine, 50 kilograms of a cutting agent, hydraulic drug presses and mixing blenders were seized. The garage was being rented by Thomas and Jack for £50 per month which was facilitated by their father Byron Davies.

 

A family affair:

• Thomas Davies arranged the purchase of multi kilogram amounts of cocaine from several different sources which were then driven to South Wales by couriers at his request. These drugs were then cut down into lower purity cocaine and sold on in varying amounts from kilograms to grams.
• Thomas and Jack’s parents - Jacqueline Davies, 59, and Byron Davies, 66, had pivotal roles in laundering large amounts of criminal money for their sons.  Over £57,000 cash was seized from a safe found within Bryon Davies property.
• Thomas’s partner Nicole Locke, 31, acted as a street dealer for the OCG, dealing with the day to day “gram” customers. Nicole also turned the cocaine in to crack cocaine with a process called “washing”. 
• Christopher Adams, 39, Scott Alway, 35, and Steven Evans, 38, all acted as couriers for this OCG, travelling across the country to pick up multi kilogram amounts of cocaine for onward sale within the South Wales area.  When Steven Evans was arrested officers discovered £23,000 cash in a safe and enquiries revealed he also had over £50,000 unexplained cash within his bank accounts.
• Gavin Etchell,42, also acted as a courier prior to his arrest in July 2020 however he was also a high-level street dealer, supplying “ounce” amounts of cocaine to local street dealers.

 

Sentenced on Friday, June 21

 

Jacqueline Davies, 59, from Buckley Road, Trealaw, Tonypandy – two years

• Concerned in the offer to supply cocaine
• Enter into/become concerned in an arrangement to facilitate acquisition or control of criminal property

Byron Davies, 66, from Heol Trecastell, Caerphilly – one year and seven months, suspended for two years

• Enter into/become concerned in an arrangement to facilitate acquisition or control of criminal property (setting up a shell company – Valley Self Storage to launder proceeds)

Scott Headley Alway, 35, from Heather Close, Trealaw, Tonypandy – nine years

• Conspiracy to supply cocaine

Steven John Evans, 38, from Trealaw Road, Trealaw, Tonypandy – eight years and nine months (plus one year to run concurrently)

• Conspiracy to supply cocaine
• Possession of criminal property

Gavin Hayward Etchell, 42, currently in HMP Parc – eight years

• Conspiracy to supply cocaine
• Failure to comply with a Serious Crime Prevention Order

Christopher Adams, 39, from Kenry Street, Tonypandy – eight years and six months

• Conspiracy to supply cocaine

 

Previously sentenced

 

Thomas Davies, 38, from Buckley Road, Trealaw, Tonypandy – 16 years (plus 8 years to run concurrently)

• Conspiracy to supply cocaine
• Conspiracy to supply crack cocaine
• Enter into/ become concerned in an arrangement to facilitate acquisition or control of criminal property (Setting up a shell company – Valley Self Storage to launder the proceeds) – two years concurrent

Jack Davies, 37, from Buckley Road, Trealaw, Tonypandy – 13 years 76 months (plus six years to run concurrently)

• Conspiracy to supply cocaine
• Conspiracy to supply crack cocaine
• Enter into/ become concerned in an arrangement to facilitate acquisition or control of criminal property (Setting up a shell company – Valley Self Storage to launder the proceeds) – 2 years concurrent.

Nicole Caroline Locke, 31, from Pergwm Street, Trealaw, Tonypandy – two years suspended for two years x 2

• Conspiracy to supply cocaine
• Conspiracy to supply crack cocaine

 

 

Detective Constable Lewis Watkins said:

“All nine involved were key figures in this drug supply chain and I am thrilled that we have been able to sentence them for their crimes and remove them from our communities.

“The sentences passed down sends a strong message that drugs and organised crime groups have no place in our communities.  Not only have we been able to disrupt this OCG and their operation, but we have also been able to take a large quantity of drugs off the streets.

“South Wales Police is committed to protecting our communities and the success of this operation shows that we will use all necessary tactics to target organised crime groups and those participating in corruption, fraud, and money laundering."