Newport and Liverpool drug dealers jailed for 87 years

Steven Gibbons, Stephen Baldwin, Mark Bush-Jones, Abdi Ali, Joshua Dare and Paul Long were involved in the trafficking of multi-kilograms of cocaine and heroin.

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They were caught after a joint investigation by the Welsh regional organised crime unit Tarian and Gwent Police.

Their jail sentences were as follows:

• Gibbons, 34, of Cartwright Green, Newport, was locked up for 19 years

• Baldwin, 50, of Caerleon Road, Newport, was sent to prison for 18 years

• Bush-Jones, 36, of Ringland Circle, Newport, was jailed for 11 years and six months

• Ali, 49, of Kings Parade, Newport, was locked up for 14 years

• Dare, 31, of Jeddo Close, Newport, was jailed for 13 years

• Long, 47, of Sonning Avenue, Litherland, Sefton, Liverpool, was imprisoned for 11 years and six months

Steven Gibbons

Simon Ash KC, prosecuting, told Newport Crown Court that Gibbons was the “leader” of the conspiracy with Baldwin below him in the chain.

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The gang were using the notorious EncroChat communication system which was cracked by law enforcement authorities.

Stephen Baldwin

“They thought they were safe,” Mr Ash said.

The defendants were convicted of conspiracy to supply a class A drug.

Mark Bush-Jones

Baldwin and Ali were found guilty following a trial while the others admitted their roles.

Long also admitted possession of cocaine with intent to supply and Dare pleaded guilty to escape from lawful custody.

The offences were committed between March and June 2020.

Abdi Ali

Gibbons was a Newport businessman who had been involved in a number of ventures, his barrister John Cooper KC told the court.

Sarah Vine KC, for Baldwin, said the defendant knew he would get a long prison sentence and added about his future employment prospects: “No one will want to touch him when he gets out.”

Joshua Dare

Bush-Jones suffers from ADHD and admitted his guilt, his counsel Siobhan Grey KC put forward.

Tahir Khan KC, representing Ali, said his client was a father-of-six and that there was a testimonial about the charity work he’d been involved in.

Paul Long

Simon Csoka KC, for Dare, asked the judge to take into account his client’s guilty pleas.

Stephen Donnelly, representing Long, said his client had acted as a courier within the conspiracy and his role “was at the lower end”.

Judge Daniel Williams told the defendants: “Each of you played a part in the activity of an organised crime group based here in Newport which was involved in the distribution of kilograms of cocaine and heroin.

“The group bought drugs from higher level suppliers and sold them to lower level dealers.

“Data obtained from the EncroChat devices implicated you all in the conspiracy.”