Garage 'cover' for drugs crimes

Guns and drugs were found by police investigating the network

Members of a crime gang who ran a drugs syndicate from a garage workshop in Barry, south Wales, will be sentenced on Thursday.

Cardiff Crown Court was told that S&J Autos provided the cover for the gang, who were involved in supplying ecstasy brought from Spain in lemonade bottles.

The court heard undercover police set up a business next door to trap them.

Fourteen men have admitted taking part in a network which extended to Spain and the Caribbean.

'Operation Panama Canal' involved undercover police setting up a marine services business next door to the car bodyshop and befriending the drug dealers to catch the gang.

Pivotal figure

The court was told that this included "pivotal figure" Russell Dawson, 37, also known as "Sam", who told police he was willing to do anything illegal to make money.

Dawson, who was working at S&J Autos at the time, set up meetings for the officers with dealers from Manchester.

These dealers told the undercover pair, known as Tommy and George, they could supply between 200,000 and 300,000 ecstasy pills.

The officers, who bought 10,000 pills for 45p each, were told previous batches of ecstasy had killed five users.

Dawson, from Barry, also said he could supply the officers with ecstasy from Spain imported in lemonade bottles.

Bearing the Motorola symbol, the tablets would cost the men a few pence each.

In addition, Dawson introduced the officers to other drug dealers around Cardiff who dealt cocaine and speed with them.

Dawson admitted five counts of conspiracy to supply drugs, namely cocaine, ecstasy and amphetamine sulphate, also known as speed.

The gang will be sentenced in Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday

Prosecutor Ieuan Morris said: "He (Dawson) talked to them about schemes to supply Viagra, pornographic DVDs, forged vehicle licences and MOT certificates, contraband cigarettes and even people smuggling.

"Dawson and his co-conspirators were willing to do any activity to net themselves extra revenue."

S&J Autos' owner Stephen Farmer, 46, of Barry, admitted two counts of conspiracy to supply cocaine.

Jeffrey Preece, 33, of Barry, who ran the neighbouring garage, admitted two counts of conspiring to supply cocaine and ecstasy.

The gang's "foot-soldiers" Christian Skeene, David Page and Marc Allinson admitted conspiracy to supply ecstasy and speed.

Terrence Yates, 45, of Southampton, would travel to France for the gang. He admitted conspiracy to supply ecstasy.

The Manchester drug dealers Gary Jackson, 29, and John Cooper, 30, admitted conspiracy to supply large amounts of cocaine, speed and ecstasy to the undercover officers.

Jackson has also admitted possessing four nine-ounce bars of cannabis resin with intent to supply.

Clanson Foster, 43, of Barry, who ran a valeting business out of S&J Autos as a cover for his drug deals, has admitted conspiring to supply cocaine and possession of a firearm.

Donald Williamson, 41, also of Barry, told officers he had worked in immigration and knew how to import drugs successfully.

He has admitted conspiracy to supply cocaine and possession of a firearm.

The gang members were steeped in the drug culture Prosecutor Ieuan Morris

London chef Adam Culverwell, 32, and his restaurateur uncle Enzo Cridali, 53, of Barry, Cardiff, admitted conspiring to supply speed and having control of counterfeit money.

The court heard Cridali, who had made a large amount of money from selling property, funded counterfeit currency deals and was rewarded with a £40,000 BMW X5.

Michael Hamblin, 32, of Birmingham, also admitted conspiring to supply cocaine.

Mr Morris told the court: "The gang members were steeped in the drug culture and had interests in a variety of illegitimate business enterprises.

"As the undercover operation gained momentum what became apparent was the ready access and availability of firearms and ammunition.

"This was organised crime run out of a car body repair centre."