A NOTORIOUS London gangster dubbed 'The General' given a new life in Wales because the government cannot deport him was jailed for trafficking heroin and crack cocaine on the streets of Newport whilst on licence for robbery.

Joland Giwa, 30, who arrived in the UK when he was aged 10, grew up terrorising the streets of Croydon, south London, with his gang called 'Don't Say Nothing' or 'DSN' for short.

He was jailed for 27 months in February 2009 for a string of robberies and thefts and ended up in a bail hostel in Newport after serving his time.

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Attempts to deport him to Africa – Giwa is believed to be from either Nigeria or Sierra Leone – were frustrated because no country would take him and it was decided that he would be sent to Gwent to cut him off from his criminal connections in the capital.

Despite vowing to turn his life around, he struck again and was jailed for seven-and-a-half years in 2015 for a terrifying robbery at a William Hill bookies in Ringland.

Giwa, of Victoria Crescent, Newport, was today sentenced to another lengthy prison term after he admitted possessing heroin, cocaine and crack cocaine with intent to supply.

Tony Trigg, prosecuting, told Cardiff Crown Court: “At around 2.10pm on Saturday, March 21, plain-clothed police officers saw an unkempt man with the appearance of a drug user on West Street in Newport.

South Wales Argus:

Joland Giwa

“He was standing near a children’s park when the defendant arrived on an electric scooter and met him.”

The two went into a nearby lane and the police went to arrest Giwa.

Mr Trigg said: “The officers approached the defendant and intended to search him and he, in an obvious panic, started lashing his arms out at them in a determined attempt to escape.

“He managed to slip out of his jacket and he was chased by the four officers who caught up with him and they had to use PAVA spray to subdue him and he was handcuffed.”

The court was told that Giwa was caught with class drugs with a potential street value of £4,700, £1,300 in cash and three mobile phones.

The defendant also pleaded guilty to possessing criminal property, resisting arrest and possessing cannabis.

Scott Bowen, representing Giwa, said: “He was released from prison on June 2019. He was living with his partner and their two children with a third on the way.

“The defendant had trouble signing on and he borrowed money from the wrong people.

“He was a drug runner for those more sophisticated than he. His best mitigation is his guilty plea at the first opportunity.”

Judge Jeremy Jenkins told Giwa: “You have serious offences of robbery on your record and you have spent significant periods in prison before.

“The drugs found on you were of a significant value.”

He was jailed for four years and one month.

A Proceeds of Crime Act hearing is due to take place on August 10.

After arriving in Britain, Giwa fell in with south London gang members and appeared in numerous YouTube videos, in which he claimed to be 'The General' and boasted of 'shanking' his rivals – street slang for stabbing.