Six people have been jailed for their parts in an organised crime gang (OCG) which trafficked large quantities of cocaine and cannabis into Pembrokeshire.
The OCG were caught under Op Rookley, a covert investigation by Dyfed-Powys Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Team, which dismantled the gang that was transporting both the Class A and Class B drugs between Dorset, Merseyside and Pembrokeshire over an 11-month period.
Today at Swansea Crown Court, Leigh Smith, aged 44, of Owls Road, was sentenced to 3 years and 9 months; Shaun Lucas, aged 48, of Ty Cornel, Park Street, Fishguard, was sentenced to 9 years and 8 months; and Terence Harrison, aged 43, of Kings Road West, Swanage, was sentenced to 8 years 4 months.
All three had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs at an earlier hearing.
Earlier this month Ozan Kilicaslan, aged 30, of Ashley Road, Poole, was sentenced to 41 weeks in prison having pleaded guilty to money laundering and conspiracy to supply class B drugs.
Charlotte Doe, aged 32, of Halves Cottages, Corfe Castle, was sentenced to 13 months and Ryan Ager, aged 34, of Pilch Bank Road, Liverpool, was sentenced to 19 months, both having pleaded guilty to money laundering.
Leone James, aged 33, of Precelly Crescent, Stop and Call, Goodwick, will be sentenced on Friday, 16 December, having pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class B drugs.
An eighth person, Steven John Kerr, aged 35, of Tracks Lane, Billinge, near Wigan, was found not guilty of money laundering following trial.
Senior investigating officer DI Richard Lewis said: “This was a lengthy operation involving a number of departments across the force, who investigated intelligence, coordinated a series of warrants, interviewed the defendants and carried out detailed enquiries into their activity.
“Today’s sentencing culminates more than a year of police work, which saw the disruption of a major supply chain into Pembrokeshire and the dismantling of an organised crime gang, which was no doubt linked to illegal activity on a wider scale.”
The Goodwick-based gang was headed by Lucas, who sourced the drugs from Dorset-based Liverpudlian Harrison. Lucas was then responsible for the onward supply of the cocaine and cannabis in the Fishguard, wider Pembrokeshire areas.
Lucas utilised his partner James’ home address in Stop & Call, Goodwick, as a base to orchestrate the supply network and serve his numerous customers.
He also utilised this address to meet with couriers Kilicaslan and Smith who were responsible for the delivery of drugs, as well as those responsible for collecting the cash generated from the sale of the cocaine and cannabis.
As part of the disruption, police seized 244g of cocaine as it was being transported from Dorset to Pembrokeshire in October 2021. Despite this enforcement action, they continued their illicit activities and in December 2021 Kilicaslan was arrested on his return journey from Lucas’ home address.
His vehicle smelt strongly of cannabis and he tested positive for the presence of cocaine during a roadside drug swipe. Within his vehicle officers located £15,000 linked to Lucas.
Following this further disruption, the gang continued to traffic cocaine and cannabis into the Pembrokeshire area for the onward supply by Lucas and less than three weeks later, Smith delivered a large quantity of cocaine to Lucas at his home address.
In January 2022, Doe was arrested on her return journey to Dorset from Lucas’ home address. Officers located more than £26,700 in her vehicle in two bundles, which were later forensically linked to both Lucas and Harrison. The following day the gang continued their endeavour and Lucas travelled to Dorset to meet with Harrison.
In March 2022 a two-week arrest phase saw eight people arrested in the Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Dorset and Pembrokeshire areas.
Ryan Ager, who refused to engage with officers at the time, later handed himself in at a Merseyside police station. Eight of those people, including Ager, were charged with being involved in a conspiracy to supply cocaine. Harrison, Lucas and Smith were also later charged with being involved in a conspiracy to supply cannabis. All three admitted both offences.
Kilicaslan later admitted his part in the conspiracy to supply cannabis and his involvement in money laundering offences.
Doe and Ager admitted to their involvement in money laundering offences and James later admitted to her involvement in the supply of cannabis.
Pembrokeshire Commander Superintendent Anthony Evans: “As a force we are making it a priority to target the people who bring and sell drugs in our area, so we’re pleased to have secured this result.
“Further work will now be carried out in relation to a Proceeds of Crime Act investigation which is aimed at confiscating criminal assets gained through illegal activities.
“Operation Rookley has resulted in the disruption of the supply of drugs into Pembrokeshire and shows Dyfed-Powys is intent on preventing travelling criminals from entering the area.”
To report suspicious behaviour in your community, visit https://bit.ly/DPPContactOnline, email 101@dyfed-powys.police.uk, or call 101.
If you are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired text the non-emergency number on 07811 311 908.
Alternatively, contact the independent charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111, or visiting crimestoppers-uk.org.
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