DRUG GANG JAILED
NINE LOCKED UP FOR CANNABIS SUPPLY PLOT
A BOASTFUL drug dealer was caught after police used a pioneering technique to identify his fingerprints in a photograph of him showing off his supply.
Elliot Morris was one of nine gang members sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court for their roles in a conspiracy to supply cannabis from the West Midlands to South Wales.
Judge Jeremy Jenkins described the conspiracy as “substantial”.
Roger Griffiths, prosecuting, said there were five journeys between Redditch and Bridgend between April 15 and August 2 last year involving 6kg of cannabis.
The court heard at the South Wales end of the conspiracy, friends Joe Thomas, Aaron McKay and Michael Rouse were “partners” in the scheme. Mr Griffiths said they supplied cannabis in multiple ounce deals to street dealers in the Bridgend area.
South Wales Police carried out a search at Thomas’ house on Laing Street, Kenfig Hill, at noon on August 3, 2017. Mr Griffiths said: “The premises smelt strongly of cannabis.”
Prosecutors said officers recovered 250g of cannabis from Thomas’ home – a “strong type” known as Gorilla Glue. They also seized 17 cannabis plants in the back bedroom of the semi-detached house with a potential yield of up to 51oz.
Police found about 5g of cocaine, which prosecutors accepted was for Thomas’ personal use, plus a folder containing a “money owed” list totalling more than £6,000.
Thomas, 25, of Laing Street, was jailed for 27 months for producing cannabis, conspiring to supply cannabis and possessing cocaine.
Prosecutors said McKay arrived at Thomas’ house by bike at 11.30am that day with a JD Sports bag on his back. Mr Griffiths said: “He pedalled off in an attempt to escape.”
The court heard he threw the bag away, but it was recovered by the police and found to contain cannabis worth up to £2,050.
He was arrested and officers searched his home, where they found another bag in his shed, containing digital scales and traces of cannabis. McKay, 22, of Pyle Inn Way, Bridgend, was jailed for 27 months for his role in the conspiracy.
Prosecutors said Danial Jenkins, also known as Danial Gillard, was a street dealer who arrived at Thomas’ house to re-stock.
Mr Griffiths said he “fled” but was chased and arrested. He told officers: “I’ve got an ounce in my jumper.”
Jenkins, 27, of Caer Wetral, Kenfig Hill, was jailed for eight months for conspiring to supply cannabis.
Prosecutors said Rouse drove to Redditch to pick up cannabis from the Morris family “for onward sale to Bridgend street dealers”. The court heard he arrived at Thomas’ house on August 3 and went inside carrying a rucksack, later found to contain £1,220 in cash and digital scales.
When police went to search his home, he would not open the door and tried to climb off the balcony of a top floor flat. Officers forced entry and found cannabis worth up to £2,700 in his pillow. A sat nav was recovered from his car and analysed.
Rouse, 31, of Tairfelin, Wildmill, Bridgend, was jailed for nine months for conspiring to supply cannabis.
Prosecutors said street dealer Nathan Burgess was linked to the conspiracy after he was seen trying to avoid a police officer on July 4.
He was seen to drop a rucksack as he ran away, which was found to contain traces of cannabis and tamazepam tablets. In his police interview, Burgess accepted supplying to about 15 people, who he said were friends and family.
Burgess, 26, of Pyle Inn Way, Bridgend, was jailed for nine months for conspiring to supply cannabis and possessing a Class C drug.
Jonathon Scanlon, another street dealer, was arrested on September 11. Police searched his home and found a ziplock bag of cannabis and 35g of cocaine worth more than £2,000. In his police interview, the defendant said he was keeping the cocaine for a friend.
Scanlon, 27, of Willow Close, North Cornelly, was jailed for 30 months for conspiring to supply cannabis and possessing cocaine with intent to supply.
The police investigation involved automatic number plate recognition, which revealed the drugs were brought into Wales from elsewhere. It also used mobile phone analysis, revealing the degree of organisation between the defendants.
Prosecutors said the police discovered the cannabis was being produced by the Morris family in Redditch. Officers searched the home of Darren Morris and his wife Dominique on Mickleton Close on August 23 last year.
Darren Morris, 51, was jailed for 27 months for conspiring to supply cannabis.
Officers found four small plants at the couple’s home and handwritten instructions setting out a growing timetable. Mr Griffiths said the plants had a potential yield of up to 12 ounces, worth £1,920, and there was evidence of a previous harvest.
When she was arrested, Dominique Morris said: “The weed is all mine. I grow it for personal use.”
Police found she had sent photos on WhatsApp of the cannabis.
Dominique Morris, 44, was jailed for 12 months for producing cannabis and conspiring to supply cannabis.
Police executed a search warrant at a remote rural location called Flying Horse Lane in Redditch on August 30. Officers found 21 seedling cannabis plants growing in steel containers among the cabins and caravans. Officers recovered just over 1kg of cannabis, plus MDMA.
The couple’s son Elliot Morris, 28, was jailed for eight and a half years for conspiring to supply cannabis, possessing MDMA with intent and possessing cocaine.
Police said he was forensically linked to the gang by a photograph sent to show off his supply, which they used to identify his fingerprints. Officers also found nearly £20,000 hidden in Bitcoin accounts.
Stefan Weidmann, defending, said: “Drugs have brought calamity to this family. Utter, utter calamity.”
Rosaleeen Abdel-Salam, 25, from Tutnall Lane, Tutnall, Worcestershire, was fined £350 for possessing ecstasy and alprazolam.
Chazino Suban, 28, of Stainsby Avenue, Birmingham, was fined £700 for possessing cocaine and MDMA.
Police said cannabis, cocaine and ecstasy totalling about £36,000 were recovered during the investigation, along with about £21,000 in cash.
There will be an investigation under the Proceeds of Crime Act for the Morris family.