South Wales flooded with cocaine by conspiracy linked to Albanian drug network
ARUCKSACK stuffed with 1.5kg of crack cocaine abandoned in the middle of a Cardiff street helped police to bust a multi-million-pound drug network.
Officers recovered several kilos of cocaine, plus £450,000 in cash, and expensive clothes and jewellery worth about £100,000, as they dismantled seven organised crime gangs.
Bledar Mzui, Tamar Sheblan, Nicky Watson, Kevin Paton, Hysen Lika, Petar Govorusa, Paul Wyatt, Ali Sheblan, Robert Xhepa and Hayder Sheblan were jailed for a combined 116 years yesterday for their roles.
Sentencing at Cardiff Crown Court, Judge Jeremy Jenkins said: “I am satisfied that each of you knew the seriousness of what you were doing. Each of you knew that the stakes of being caught were extremely high. Each of you was caught and now each of you has to pay the price for your involvement.”
Catherine Richards, prosecuting, said there was a “covert operation” by the Regional Organised Crime Unit into a group operating from London.
She told the court: “The group was responsible for the regional distribution of multi-kilogram quantities of cocaine into south Wales and south England.”
Prosecutors said the investigation required a “considerable amount” of resource, with 50 unit members working on the operation for 18 months.
The court heard 21 drug deliveries were made during the conspiracy, including 19 to customers in Cardiff and the surrounding area. involved with the conspiracy as “the worst decision of his life”.
Wyatt, 42, of Helen Place in Adamsdown, Cardiff, was given a 10-year prison sentence for his role as a regional distributor.
Andrew Shanahan, defending, said his client has health problems and argued he did not play a leading role.
Ali Sheblan, 23, of Glyn Collen, was jailed for eight years after being found guilty.
Anu Mohindru, defending, said his client had never been in trouble before and suggested he was “naive”.
Xhepa, 29, of Ritches Road in Tottenham, London, was sent to prison for six years after he admitted his role as “trusted courier”.
Kevin Seal, defending, said his client had no previous convictions and found himself isolated in custody due to his limited English skills.
Hayder Sheblan, 25, of Glyn Collen, was jailed for eight years after pleading guilty. The court heard he left the country for Dubai and was later extradited from Spain.
His barrister said he had no relevant convictions and had shown “significant remorse”.
Detective Chief Inspector Julian Bull, of the Regional Organised Crime Unit for South Wales known as Tarian, described the investigation as “extremely complex and protracted”.
He said: “It is pleasing to know that these organised criminals are now behind bars and unable to continue profiting from the misery their trade brings to our communities.”