Rhondda family drugs gang sentenced to more than 71 years in prison

A criminal gang from the Rhondda valleys, headed by two brothers, has been sentenced to a total of 71 years and five months in prison for drugs offences.

The investigation into the Organised Crime Group (OCG), dubbed Operation Tredegar by South Wales police case, involved nine defendants, all with a varying role within the OCG from couriers to money launderers.

Headed by Thomas Davies, 38, and Jack Davies, 37, six members of the gang were sentenced to 37 years and 10 months at Newport Crown Court on Friday (21 June).

Cocaine

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 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 through a process called “washing”.

Couriers

Christopher Adams, 39, Scott Alway, 35, and Steven Evans, 38, all acted as couriers for this OCG, traveling 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 in unexplained cash in 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.

Etchell was stopped by police on the A40 in Monmouth, driving his BMW.

He was arrested for a separate matter however his two mobile phones were seized and subsequently downloaded.

From the data located within these phones it was apparent he was supplying cocaine on behalf of someone later identified as Thomas Davies.

Search warrants

On February 9, 2021, officers executed a number of search warrants targeting the Davies brothers.

Over 2 kilograms of cocaine were recovered, along with 50 kilograms of cutting agent, 2 hydraulic drug presses and electric mixing blenders.

All were located in a man-made drugs factory, set up in the garage at the rear of a property on Partridge Road, Trealaw.

The garage was being rented by Thomas and Jack for £50 per month, facilitated by their father Byron Davies.

Friday’s sentencing brought the total for all nine OCG members to 71 years and 5 months.

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.”

Thomas Davies, 38, from Buckley Road, Trealaw, Tonypandy was sentenced to 16 years for Conspiracy to supply cocaine and eight years to run concurrently for Conspiracy to supply crack cocaine.

He was also sentenced also sentenced for two years to run concurrently for setting up a shell company – Valley Self Storage to launder the proceeds.

Jack Davies, 37, from Buckley Road, Trealaw, Tonypandy was sentenced to 13 years and seven months for conspiracy to supply cocaine and six years to run concurrently for conspiracy to supply crack cocaine.

He also received a two years sentence to run concurrently for setting up the shell company.