Cardiff man jailed for his role in organised crime group - after going on the run
The man went on the run in March 2020 and has now been jailed for 12 years
A man from Cardiff has pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and failing to surrender to custody.
27-year-old James Dean Connors played a role in an organised crime group, discovered when a phone was found at the scene of a crash in Cardiff back in 2018.
The phone, which was handed into police by a member of the public, contained drug dealing messages and photographs of a block of white powder, believed to be a kilo of cocaine.
The cocaine, stamped with the Audi rings symbol and placed on a dinner plate, was estimated to have a potential street value of £100,000 if sold at £100 a gram due to its apparent high purity.
After officers conducted a number of enquiries into the incident, it was established that the photos had been taken inside a flat in Greenway Road and a suspected Organised Crime Group was identified.
In December 2018, 10 search warrants were undertaken across Cardiff.
This which led to the recovery of approximately £40,000 worth of drugs, several thousand pounds in cash and multiple weapons including machetes and imitation firearms.
Connors went on the run in March 2020 but was arrested late last year - and has now been jailed for 12 years.
He pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine, failing to surrender to custody and conspiracy to supply cocaine - the latter charge brought about following a separate investigation by south Wales' Regional Organised Crime Unit.
He was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court on February 16, 2024, to a total of 12 years.
South Wales Police has a zero-tolerance approach to drug dealing and this case is just one example of how we are tackling concerns in the community.
Anyone with suspicions or information about illegal drug supply is urged to contact them online or via 101.