A FURTHER three members of a drugs gang that flooded Mid Wales with cocaine and cannabis have been jailed for a combined 21 years as the first day of sentencing ended on Wednesday (April 27).

Four members of the gang were jailed on Wednesday morning. 

In the first of two days of sentencing at Mold, those jailed included two 'ringleaders', plus dealers and couriers, all guilty of conspiring to supply Class A drugs and cannabis, with a street value of up to £1.5million.

Four men from Leighton Arches in Welshpool were jailed for their roles in the conspiracy, with Patrick Stokes described as playing a significant role in an organised crime group (OCG).

Stokes, 33, was jailed for eight years and nine months for conspiracy to supply cocaine, despite his defence's insistence the operation lacked the sophistication required to be considered and OCG, and that it was a family enterprise.

He was joined by John Power, 26, who was jailed for seven years and six months while Michael Power, 19, was sentenced to four years and seven months – both for conspiring to supply Class A drugs.

Martin Gallagher, 35, who was sentenced in the afternoon, received seven years and two months for his role in the conspiracy while all four men received no separate penalty for a similar cannabis offence.

County Times: Dyfed-Powys Police at the Leighton Arches Caravan Site in June 2021. Picture by Phil Blagg.

All resided at the Leighton Arches site which was raided by 80 officers from Dyfed-Powys in June 2021.

Meanwhile, three men from the West Midlands who provided the drugs to be sold on by the Welshpool-based arm of the operation, were also jailed for their varying roles.

Gavin Warley, 29, from Wolverhampton, oversaw the operation, described by the prosecution as the 'upstream' supplier and, the court was told, who profited from the sales of the drugs.

Judge Niclas Parry identified Warley as the leader of the operation, with the most contact with Stokes and John Power, and said he benefitted most from the operation.

Warley was jailed for eight years and three months while two of his couriers, who ferried the drugs to Leighton Arches and returned with the money, also received lengthy sentences.

Josh Large, 23 and from Staffordshire, was given four years and 10 months while 35-year-old Kuldeep Sahota, also of Wolverhampton and described as the 'most prolific' of the couriers, was jailed for five years and four months.

Judge Parry said: "This police operation investigated the source of cocaine which was provided from an upstream group in the West Midlands which returned to money.

"This part of Mid Wales is seriously affected by Class A drugs, leading to cases that cause misery to families and the community at large, causing criminality affecting homeowners and businesses

"All delivery was to the same place and the amount of cocaine distributed to his area of Mid Wales was around 3.5kg with a street value of £330-400k.

"The OGC was also concerned in the supply of cannabis with street value of up to £1.5 million and I have formed the view that this estimate figure can be justified."

Sentencing continues on Thursday at Mold Crown Court.