A DRUGS gang who flooded Gwent with cocaine have been jailed for nearly 30 years.

Boss Kieron Weaver supplied coke to his deputy Rhys Lovett who would then in turn use drug runners Steven Rogers and Eoin Holder to sell it on the streets.

Weaver had links to gangsters in Yorkshire from whom he would buy large quantities of high purity cocaine, prosecutor Nuhu Gobir said.

South Wales Argus:

Kieron Weaver

When police searched Weaver’s Newport home following his arrest they found a £65,000 Rolex Oyster watch as well as designer clothes and shoes.

The gang were brought to justice after Gwent Police used covert techniques to gather evidence.

Weaver, 28, of Crawford Street, Newport, was jailed for 10 years and four months.

Lovett, 31, Greenhill Road, Cwmbran, was sent to prison for nine years.

Rogers, 37, of Hawthorn Road, Sebastopol, Pontypool, was locked up for six years.

Holder, 34, of South Street, Sebastopol, Pontypool, was jailed for four years.

South Wales Argus:

Rhys Lovett

Judge Daniel Williams told the defendants: “You Kieron Weaver sourced wholesale quantities of cocaine from an organised crime group based in Yorkshire which you then supplied to downstream dealers, that’s the three other of you.

“The principal contact was Rhys Lovett who would refer you on to Eoin Holder and Steven Rogers.

“It’s clear that you Kieron Weaver was involved in serious organised crime with substantial links to those in Yorkshire.”

South Wales Argus:

Steven Rogers

Weaver would also make regular trips to Bridgewater in Somerset to buy cocaine from drug dealers there.

It was on one of these journeys that police caught him.

He was followed on his return home to Newport and ordered to pull over by officers on the M5.

South Wales Argus:

Eoin Holder

Weaver was in an Iveco van he’d stolen from his employer Quantum Traffic Management and was banned from driving at the time.

Instead of stopping he rammed a police car before he was arrested following a short chase on the motorway.

Police found 271g of cocaine and 1kg of cannabis inside the van, Newport Crown Court was told.

The defendants all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine.

Weaver also admitted possession of cocaine with intent to supply, possession of cannabis with intent to supply, possession of criminal property, aggravated vehicle taking, dangerous driving, driving while disqualified and driving without insurance.

He had 19 previous convictions for 11 offences, including aggravated vehicle taking, possession of cannabis with intent to supply and failing to provide a specimen.

This was Lovett’s third class A drug trafficking conviction.

Rogers had one precious convictions for six offences for unrelated matters.

Gareth Williams, representing Weaver, told the court his client had become a father while in custody.

Kevin Seal, for Lovett, asked for the defendant’s guilty plea to be taken into account.

Nigel Fryer, representing Holder, said his client had no previous convictions.

The defendant has a window cleaning and gardening business and “became embroiled in the drug world when his addiction spiralled out of control”.

Mr Fryer described him as a “foot soldier”.

Julia Cox, mitigating for Rogers, said his offending was “out of character” and he began drug dealing after losing his job.

“It was a stupid and unwise choice,” she added.

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