A drugs gang involved in the biggest heroin seizure by police in Wales have been jailed for a total of 68 years.
The ten men were sentenced by Judge Rhys Rowlands at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday after a series of raids by police in Wales and England.
The Wales-wide Tarian Regional Task Force, Gwent Police, South Wales Police, Nottinghamshire Police, Greater Manchester Police and the Serious Organised Crime Agency (SOCA) were part of the operation.
The joint raids, which happened on June 17 2010, seized 17.6kg of heroin with a street value of £1.76m. The biggest ever single seizure by police in Wales.
Arrests took place in Newport, Cardiff, Llanbradach, Manchester and Nottingham.
The investigation led to the discovery of a drugs network stretching from Wales to the North West of England.
In addition to the heroin, police in the Stockport area of Manchester discovered a hydraulic press and around 300kg of substances used as cutting agents.
When cut together the substances recovered could have lead to the supply of half a ton of heroin with an approximate street value of £50 million. Also recovered was a total of £150,000 in cash.
Detective Superintendent Chris Dodd, the Tarian Co-ordinator, said: “This was a highly organised criminal network who believed they were above the law and able to distribute drugs on an industrial scale with impunity.
“The Tarian operation brought together partners from other law enforcement agencies and showed that when working together, no-one is beyond our reach. This gang can reflect on that as they serve their sentences.
“The convictions should also serve as a warning to anyone thinking that drug dealing in our region is a way to make money. Criminals involved in drug supply to Wales should expect to be arrested and face prosecution, wherever they are based.
“The Wales Regional Asset Recovery Team (RART) has been involved from the outset and will now work to confiscate the assets of all those involved with this gang.
Superintendent David Johnson, of Gwent Police, also welcomed the sentencing. He said: “The gang attained a certain status in the area as dealers, and their criminality created a significant negative impact on the local community. I’m delighted that they are no longer able to cause misery in our city.
“Drug dealers like these have no regard for the harm they inflict. It’s has been said many times before that drug dealing is a vile trade which has catastrophic effects on people, families and communities, and I echo that again today.”
Ritesh Patel, 28, of Brithdir Street, Cardiff and Mohammed Hussain, 28, of Redhouse Road, Ely, Cardiff, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin, as did Anthony Clarke, 50, of Glyn Collen, Llanbradach; Daniel Bowyer, 22, Bishpool View, Newport; Pinakin Patel, 22, Brithdir Street, Cardiff; Manchester- based John Almond, 46, and Stuart James, 25, of no fixed address, Daniel Carragher, 21, Heathwood Road, Manchester, and Terrance McMullen, 32, The Broadway, Lancashire.
Paul Morten, 44, of The Ridgeway, Stockport, denied the charge and also a second allegation of possessing amphetamine with intent to supply but was convicted at an earlier hearing by a jury.