Four men jailed after gun and drugs found at Cardiff flat

Nation.Cymru staff

Four men have been jailed after police investigating a suspected drug deal found a loaded firearm and large quantities of cocaine and heroin at a flat.

Connor Preece, 26, of Tremorfa, George Payne, 27, of Riverside, Shay Eedy, 24, of Atlantic Wharf, and Kai Phillips, 22, of Roath, were sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court.

The investigation began after officers from South Wales Police’s Cardiff and Vale Serious Organised Crime team saw Payne apparently involved in a suspected drug deal on February 25.

Payne was arrested, while officers also saw a BMW being driven away from the area at speed.

Police subsequently searched a flat Payne had been inside before the suspected deal and found Preece there.

Officers discovered a loaded firearm containing 11 live cartridges, along with drugs later confirmed to be one kilogram of cocaine and half a kilogram of heroin.

Preece was arrested and further investigations, including CCTV enquiries, linked Phillips and Eedy to the flat and the BMW.

Police said a review of phone data showed Phillips and Eedy had operated drug lines supplying drugs in the Cardiff area.

Phillips was arrested on February 27, while Eedy handed himself in at Cardiff Bay Police Station on March 3 after learning officers were looking for him.

Preece pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited firearm, possessing ammunition when prohibited from doing so, and possessing heroin and cocaine with intent to supply.

He was jailed for 11 years.

Payne admitted supplying crack cocaine and possessing heroin and cocaine with intent to supply. He was sentenced to four years and three months in prison.

Phillips and Eedy both pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine.

Phillips was jailed for five years and one month, while Eedy received a sentence of four years and one month.

‘Disrupting’

Detective Inspector Alexander Bartley said: “Our Serious Organised Crime team is committed to disrupting and dismantling drug gangs and the hard work of investigators meant the group had no choice but to plead guilty.

“This kind of offending has a devastating impact on the public and the communities they live in, so I hope this sentence goes some way to reassure them that we will take action.”

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