DOZENS of people have been arrested in the last two weeks as part of an ongoing Gwent Police crackdown on serious organised crime.

Sixteen people have also been sentenced in the same period for their part in the supply of illegal drugs.

Most of the police actions were conducted as part of Operation Jigsaw – Gwent Police’s strategy to curb serious criminal offences such as drug-dealing and modern slavery

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­— Rude awakenings

At dawn on June 11, more than 180 police officers launched co-ordinated raids on 15 properties in Abertillery and across various parts of Caerphilly county.

Sixteen people were arrested and charged with supplying class-A drugs.

The dawn raids formed Operation Dynamic, itself part of the wider Jigsaw strategy, and targeted those believed to be involved in the supply of crack cocaine, heroin, and some forms of Ecstasy.

“Our investigations and these warrants today, are aimed at those who profit from selling these drugs to some of the more vulnerable people in our communities,” Detective Inspector for Organised Crime, Andrew Tuck said following the raids, which he added had been the culmination of six months’ work.

Police dogs and specialist search officers took part in the raids.

­— Lengthy sentences

Then, on June 14, a total of 16 defendants were sentenced in two cases – one in Newport and one in Caerphilly – relating to drug supply.

As a result of police operation codenamed Divide – part of Jigsaw – eight men were sentenced to a total of 61 years for their part in an organised crime gang supplying cocaine to the Newport area.

They had been the subject of a lengthy investigation, culminating in large scale raids in November 2018.

Seven had been charged with conspiracy to supply class-A drugs, and one charged with money laundering.

All were found guilty and sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court on June 14.

Following their sentencing, DI Tuck said: “These sentences are the culmination of over a year’s worth of meticulous work to disrupt, dismantle and bring to justice to this organised crime group.”

He added: “The lengthy prison sentences these offenders will serve should act as warning to other criminals in the Gwent area that we are working to dismantle these most serious criminal networks and next time, we could be coming to your door.”

­— Community support

Also sentenced on June 14, this time at Newport Crown Court, were nine people arrested for their involvement in the supply of cannabis in the Caerphilly area.

They had been arrested at the culmination of Operation Toucan – not linked to Jigsaw – back in April 2018.

Following their sentencing, lead investigating officer PC Michael Coles said: “Action like this is just one aspect of a much larger fight to tackle serious and organised crime in Gwent and we are dismantling these organised crime groups piece by piece.

“I’d like to thank our local communities for your help in letting us know when there’s suspicious activity in your areas. Every piece of information, however small, can add up to the bigger picture of organised criminality.”

­— Second wave of dawn raids

Operation Dynamic returned with a bang on June 19 when police officers broke down doors at 15 properties across Newport, Cwmbran, and Pontypool in the second phase of dawn raids.

Fourteen people (13 men and one woman) were arrested during the raids. A quantity of what police believed to be heroin and crack cocaine was seized and sent for forensic testing. Vehicles and cash were also confiscated.

DI Tuck reflected on a “busy few weeks” for the Serious Organised Crime team, saying: “This morning’s raids are the second phase of our operation last week to tackle those thought to be involved in the supply of the most serious Class A drugs.

“Our investigations and these warrants today, are aimed at those who profit from selling these drugs to some of the more vulnerable people in our communities. Our work to tackle Organised Crime is so important to stop these most serious issues from harming our local communities.

“Information from the public is so important – you see what happens in your local areas and know when something is suspicious or out of place.”

­— Identifying victims of slavery

The following day, Gwent Police focused on a different type of serious organised crime – modern slavery.

Police believe people from outside Gwent are coming into the area to buy and sell drugs, so on Thursday the force’s drugs dog section was at Newport Railway Station to identify potential victims of human trafficking who are being forced to commit crime, as well as those criminals who are thought to be bringing drugs into Gwent.

A woman from the Chepstow area was arrested on suspicion of possessing controlled drugs.

Detective Sergeant Mandi Venn, who leads Gwent Police’s Modern Day Slavery and Human Trafficking Coordination team, said: "It is by no exception that rail networks are used to convey Class A drugs into and out of Gwent.

"Today's operation was conducted to primarily check on the welfare of individuals identified by the operation and to identify any criminality relating to Modern Day Slavery.

“The aim is to safeguard individuals should any disclosures be made. Today, we provided a heavy police presence as a reminder to individuals that we are watching them.”