An organised crime group flooded a Welsh town with drugs worth hundreds of thousands of pounds, a court has revealed. The gang utilised businesses such as car washes and barbershops as “fronts” for their criminal activities, moving recruits around the UK to establish a presence in Aberystwyth, where they distributed cocaine and cannabis.
The drug conspiracy is estimated to exceed £400,000 in value, with a taxi driver amongst the gang’s couriers thought to have transported approximately 3kg of cocaine into the town over multiple trips. Sentencing 12 members of the gang, a judge expressed disappointment that one of the crime group’s leaders, who had sought asylum in the UK from Iraq, engaged in serious criminal conduct instead of contributing positively.
Swansea Crown Court heard that the organised crime group employed a county lines-style model, using four different drug phones to connect with customers. They operated from various properties and guesthouses in Aberystwyth, along with a network of trusted couriers. The gang’s sophisticated operation involved transporting significant amounts of cocaine and cannabis into the town, with the cocaine element lasting a year.
The court learned that the gang used properties on Terrace Road, Alexander Road, and Parc Graig Glas in Aberystwyth as operational bases and safe houses. Trusted operatives were placed in the town, driven from locations like Newcastle and Northampton, to work as distributors and dealers. The gang also recruited local women to participate in the conspiracy, enticing them with financial rewards.
The gang, led by 33-year-old Toana Ahmad, orchestrated their illicit activities from Swansea and Birmingham. The operation involved transporting drugs, cash, and individuals to and from Aberystwyth using private cars, trains, and taxis. Dyfed-Powys Police’s Operation Burleigh successfully dismantled the gang, resulting in significant drug seizures along with the retrieval of cash and weapons such as knives, an axe, and air weapons.
In court, the defendants, including Ahmad and other accomplices, were sentenced for conspiracy to supply drugs. Their roles in the operation ranged from street dealers to couriers. Ahmad received a 12-year prison sentence, while others received varying terms from immediate custody to suspended sentences, reflecting their level of involvement in the criminal enterprise.
The judge highlighted that the gang’s operation had severely impacted the seaside and university community of Aberystwyth. He noted the sophisticated nature of the criminal operation, which used seemingly legitimate businesses as fronts for illegal activities. Two key figures of the gang evaded justice by fleeing the country, leaving only Ahmad to face the consequences of his actions.
The court acknowledged the involvement of various individuals with complex backgrounds including asylum seekers and immigrants facing challenges, but emphasised that each defendant played an active and enthusiastic role in the drug conspiracy. The sentencing of the remaining defendants is scheduled for October.