A CRIMINAL gang that supplied Class A drugs throughout Barry while exploiting children as young as 15 have been jailed for a total of 29-and-a-half years.
The network, led by Dalton Raffell, 24, operated drugs lines supplying crack cocaine and heroin in the town.
Detectives were able to identify Raffell as the gang’s leader while they were examining a mobile phone as part of a separate investigation, and they also succeeded in tracing his accomplices.
Raffell and four others appeared at Cardiff Crown Court on 23rd December for sentencing.
Raffell, of Clare Road, Grangetown, Cardiff, was jailed for nine years for conspiring to supply heroin and conspiring to arrange or facilitate travel of another with a view to exploitation.
Chiko Moyo, 21, of Cambridge Road, Bishopston, Bristol, was jailed for nine-and-a-half years for conspiring to supply heroin, two counts of conspiring to arrange or facilitate travel of another with a view to exploitation, and two counts of conspiring to require a person to perform forced or compulsory labour.
Jonathan Beasley, 54, of Caernarvon Gardens, Barry, was jailed for seven-and-a-half years for conspiring to supply heroin.
Kelly-Ann Hocking, 33, of Shelley Gardens, Barry, was also convicted of conspiring to supply heroin and conspiring to arrange or facilitate travel of another with a view to exploitation and is due to be sentenced in March.
Daniel Groves, 24, of no fixed abode, was jailed for three-and-a-half years for conspiring to supply heroin and possessing with intent to supply cocaine.
Ashton Watkins, 18, of Crossways Road, Ely, Cardiff, was convicted of conspiring to supply heroin, and will be sentenced later this month.
Senior Investigating Officer, Temporary Detective Chief Inspector Tim Jones, said: “Raffell and his accomplices were behind the supply of significant amounts of class A drugs. What makes their offences even worse is their exploitation of children. They didn’t think twice about putting them in danger and at serious risk, for their own greed and profit.
“The sad reality is that the exploitation of young children by drugs gangs is common practice – dealers will identify the most vulnerable in our communities and put them in harm’s way while running things in the background.
“This is happening today, in communities across south Wales, and we all have a responsibility and a moral obligation to look for the signs of exploitation and act on them.
“In doing so, we are putting the dealers behind bars but also rescuing and safeguarding children who for whatever reason have found themselves in the grip of what is a miserable and dangerous existence at the hands of criminals.”
By Marcus Stead – News Reporter
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