A DRUG dealer was caught after his boss was arrested for selling cocaine at a pub.

Ricky Maloney, 39, was linked to Allan Jones, 52, when the latter was captured on CCTV doing a deal at Caerphilly’s Moat House Inn.

Heath Edwards, prosecuting, told Newport Crown Court: “When Allan Jones was arrested on the evening of Sunday, August 9, 2020 he was found to be in possession of an iPhone.

“It took until July 8, 2021 for the police to successfully access the phone.

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“Interrogation of that device revealed an ongoing dialogue between ‘Jonesey’ and ‘Rickster’ who is this defendant.

“That dialogue reflects a working relationship during July 2020 between the two whereby Jonesey is undertaking direct contact with those above them in the chain of cocaine supply to purchase cocaine on behalf of himself and this defendant.

“Mr Jones and the defendant thereafter appear to have their own customers who then supply directly to the end user.”

Jones, of Claude Road, Caerphilly was jailed for six years and nine months in December 2022 after pleading guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine.

Mr Edwards said that Maloney was “operating below him in the chain of supply”.

There was evidence of Jones and the defendant discussing potentially buying wholesale quantities of cocaine.

“On July 3, 2020 they discuss the wholesale purchase of £12,000 of cocaine and two such deals for £11,500 each," Mr Edwards revealed.

“On the July 14, 2020, the defendant and Jonesy discuss sourcing £5,800 of cocaine.

“Thereafter the discussion turns to the purchase of 1oz of a particularly high quality of cocaine described as “shiny” for £1,550.

“These conversations do not appear to meet with fruition at that time as initially Covid hindered supply and later the successful interception of EncroChat messages further disrupted the chain of supply and the quality of cocaine available for sale was sub-standard."

He added: “Whilst the prosecution cannot point to a specific conversation leading to an actual supply, it is a fair inference from the volume of cocaine being discussed, and the amount of cash being paid between Jones and Maloney to finance the ongoing purchases, that this defendant has been concerned in the supply of more than 500g but less than 1kg of cocaine.”

Maloney, of Heol Y Ddol, Caerphilly admitted being concerned in the supply of the class A drug.

It was said in mitigation that the defendant had pleaded guilty and had no relevant previous convictions.

Maloney was jailed for three years and one month.