£1m Newport drugs gang boss who fled to Spain jailed

Jordan Edmunds and Keiran Payne, both from Newport, were using a vehicle recovery business in the city as a front for a major criminal enterprise.

They were part of a gang who supplied at least 28kg of cocaine to users throughout South Wales over a 12-month period.

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Edmunds, 30, was the conspiracy’s “lynchpin” and “wheeler dealer”, Swansea Crown Court was told.

Jordan Edmunds

He went on the run in Ireland and then Spain before being extradited back to Britain from the continent a week before the coronavirus pandemic struck.

Payne, 29, was one of the gang’s "salesmen" after a company called KPT Services, based at an industrial estate on Crawford Street, was set up as a cover for the operation.

The commercial selling of cocaine displays greed on your behalf

Edmunds, of Croydon Court, Newport, was jailed for 11 years and five months.

Payne, formerly of Prince Street, jailed for for six-and-a-half years for trafficking cocaine in 2019 was sent to prison for a consecutive term of 18 months.

Keiran Payne

Edmunds pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine during his trial.

Payne admitted the same offence at the first opportunity.

Last month, seven other gang members were jailed for more than 40 years for their roles in the conspiracy.

They were:

• Jedd Wiegold, 32, of Coronation Street, Trethomas, Caerphilly, jailed for 10 years and six months

• Jamie Prince, 28, of Constable Drive, Newport, jailed for six years and seven months

• Ryan Milton, 31, of George Lansbury Drive, Newport, jailed for six years and three months

• Damien Blair, 49, of Constable Drive, Newport, sent to prison for five years and eight months

• Dominic Lu, 32, of Portskewett Street, Newport, jailed for four years and nine months

• Cy Marchant, 25, of Cambria Street, Griffithstown, Pontypool, imprisoned for four years and eight months

• Samuel Woodhead, 27, of Blaendare Road, Pontypool, jailed for four years and four months

When sentencing Payne and Edmunds, Judge Huw Rees told the pair: “The commercial selling of cocaine displays greed on your behalf to profit from selling an insidious drug without thought or care of the misery inflicted on others.

KPT Services, a vehicle recovery business based at an industrial estate on Crawford Street, Newport, was being used as a front by the gang. Picture: Gwent Police

“In short, you were in it for the money.

“Edmunds, you were a lynchpin, finding and directing customers to the drugs lines of which there were four during the course of the conspiracy.”

The judge said he had been described as a “wheeler dealer”.

He added: “You had the means and the contacts to facilitate running away from the jurisdiction when you knew the game was up and you had to be extradited from Spain to face these proceedings.”

Designer clothes recovered from Edmunds' address. Picture: Gwent Police

Payne, was, Judge Rees said, “part of the sales team” operating from under the guise of the vehicle recovery business.

Gwent Police had launched an investigation called Operation Empire into the gang’s activities and had them under surveillance.

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The defendants are due to face a proceeds of crime hearing later this year.

After sentencing, Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Tuck, from Gwent Police, said: “Operation Empire was a lengthy investigation into an organised crime group who were involved in the commercial supply of cocaine throughout the Gwent area.

Designer shoes were seized from Edmunds. Picture: Gwent Police

"We welcome the sentences handed out today to the two remaining defendants.

“This result is a testament to the hard work that was put into this investigation by Gwent Police’s organised crime unit.

"We are committed to disrupting and dismantling organised crime groups whose criminal activities blight the lives of our communities.

Edmunds had a collection of baseball caps. Picture: Gwent Police

“We would like to thank the National Crime Agency and Spanish law enforcement agencies who assisted us in arresting Edmunds.

"He thought he could avoid justice by fleeing to another country, but we hope today’s sentence sends a message that no one is above the law.

"We will work tirelessly with other law enforcement partners to pursue offenders no matter where they are.

“Class A drugs cause harm and can have devastating consequences to both those who use them and the wider society who suffer from the resulting crime.

"We will not tolerate those making a profit from other people’s misery in Gwent and we will continue to tackle the supply of controlled drugs to keep our communities safe.

“Information we receive from the public is vital to helping us stop these drug gangs and protect the most vulnerable in our communities.

"If you see something which doesn’t seem right – please tell us so we can take action.”

Anyone who has information about the supply of drugs can report it to us by calling 101 or alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.