Members of crime gang which dealt £400k worth of cocaine told to pay back hundreds of thousands

Members of an organised crime group (OCG) which dealt wholesale amounts of cocaine throughout south Wales have been ordered to pay back more than £300,000. Cocaine worth a total street value of £400,000 was recovered by a police operation.

Joshua Matthews, 27, headed up the OCG having bought drugs from several upstream suppliers. He was seen by police receiving a bag containing 4kg of cocaine from associate Vincent Aquilina, 25, at an address in Cardiff on July 21 last year.

Matthews placed the bag in a Range Rover, but was arrested a short time later on the A4119 in Miskin following a police chase which caused damage to 20 cars and caused injuries to people on the road. The bag of cocaine was recovered and the address in Cardiff was searched where a further 1.5kg of cocaine and 3kg of cannabis bush were discovered. A phone linked to Matthews was examined and was found to contain text messages with evidence of significant drug dealing.

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The investigation, named Operation Cruz, was carried out by Tarian, the regional organised crime unit for south Wales. For the latest court reports, sign up to our crime newsletter here

Joshua Matthews, of The Drive, Miskin, Pontyclun, was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment for conspiracy to supply class A drugs and dangerous driving. Vincent Aquilina, of Grand Avenue, Ely, was sentenced to seven years and three months imprisonment for conspiracy to supply class A drugs. Kaid Mohamed, 39, of Heol Poyston, Caerau, was sentenced to 11 years and six months imprisonment for conspiracy to supply class A drugs.

A Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday heard Matthews benefited to the tune of £153,550 from dealing, but only had assets worth £119,900. He was ordered to pay that sum within three months or serve nine months imprisonment in default.

Mohamed was found to have benefited by £192,500, and has assets of that figure. He was ordered to pay the sum within three months or serve 20 months imprisonment in default.

Aquilina was found to have benefited by £750, but only has assets worth £510. He was ordered to pay that sum within three months or serve two months imprisonment in default.

Following the initial sentencing detective chief inspector Lloyd Williams, of Tarian ROCU, said: “These men were intent on allowing vast quantities of Class A drugs to permeate the communities of southern Wales. Thanks to the relentless efforts of a dedicated team of investigators, they were apprehended and have subsequently been handed significant sentences. It is hoped that these sentences will serve as a deterrent to anyone else who is involved in, or thinking of becoming involved in, the dealing of drugs.”

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