Suspect denies he was drug gang mastermind
Aman accused of running the “Rogue Line” selling heroin and crack cocaine in Bridgend told a court he had never been to the area.
Kane Griffiths denies two counts of conspiring to supply Class A drugs. He is on trial at Cardiff Crown Court with co-defendants Robert Owen, Ian Wilkins and Natalie Stephens.
John Caudle, for Griffiths, asked: “Had you ever seen any of these people? Had you ever spoken to any of these people?”
The defendant said he had not. When he opened the case, prosecutor Christopher Rees alleged Griffiths was trying to “expand his empire” in south Wales.
Asked if he had ever been to the area, he replied: “No, I have never been to Bridgend in my life.”
Giving evidence from the witness box, Griffiths accepted he was known as Romeo Kreed and told the court he was sofasurfing earlier this year.
The court heard he had a previous conviction for supplying Class A drugs in Bath in 2017. He said: “I was being bullied into selling drugs.”
Prosecutors allege it is “crystal clear” that Griffiths was operating the Rogue Line and looking to set up a “safe house” in Bridgend.
Mr Caudle asked: “Are you Rogue?” The defendant said he was not. Mr Caudle asked: “Were you part of those conspiracies?”
Griffiths replied: “No.”
It is alleged Griffiths was responsible for recruiting two girls and getting them to travel from London as couriers to work in the safe house. He told the court he had never met either girl.
Mr Rees suggested: “You sent them to south Wales to deal drugs on your behalf?”
Griffiths answered: “No, I had no idea about them coming down.”
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Questioned about drug-related messages on his phone, he said he did not have his phone at the time. Griffiths told the court someone called “Goldie” asked to borrow his phone at a party and did not give it back.
The defendant stated he did not make or receive any calls, or send or receive any messages about the conspiracy.
Prosecutors said his phone was traced to Bridgend through cell site analysis.
Mr Rees suggested: “The phone was in Bridgend and you were with it because you were organising the conspiracy?”
Griffiths told the court that was not the case – he did not get his phone back until January.
Asked why he did not call the police to say his phone had been taken, Griffiths said he did not want to be known as “a snitch”, adding: “I thought he was going to give it back.”
Mr Rees said: “I am going to suggest that your whole account is a pack of lies. You’re just making this up as you go along, aren’t you?”
The defendant disagreed.
The prosecutor said: “You are a serious criminal, aren’t you? You are Rogue.”
Griffiths replied: “I’m not. I’m not involved in gangs.”
Griffiths, 22, from Coutts Avenue in Chessington; Robert Owen, 56, from Tremains Road in Bridgend; and Natalie Stephens, 31, from Waunscil Avenue; deny conspiring to supply heroin and crack cocaine.
Ian Wilkins, 42, from Westward Place in Bridgend, denies those counts and also two counts of being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs.
The trial continues.