TWO DRUG DEALERS JAILED AS PART OF OPERATION AVALANCHE

Two drug dealers sentenced – Operation Avalanche

Two men who dealt class A drugs have been jailed after they were caught as part of Operation Avalanche.

Leyton Ewings, aged 39, of Barry, and Thomas Hodges, aged 31, of Barry, were sentenced today (Friday, Dec 7) at Cardiff Crown Court.

Ewings was jailed for three years and Hodges was sentenced to 16 months in prison.

Ewings pleaded guilty to eight counts of supplying a controlled drug of class A – heroin and one count of supplying a controlled drug of class A – crack cocaine.

Hodges pleaded guilty to supplying a controlled drug of class A drug – crack cocaine.

The pair were caught by officers as part of Operation Red Dragon which forms part of the force-wide Operation Avalanche to tackle criminality in South Wales. Three days of action involving 220 officers took place in the Vale of Glamorgan and Bridgend last month.

The court heard, Ewings supplied an undercover officer with £10 wraps of heroin on eight different occasions from August to September of this year. He also supplied the officer with a cling film wrap of crack cocaine.

On August 22, Hodges supplied an undercover officer with crack cocaine on one occasion.

Detective Inspector Dean Taylor said:

“Operation Avalanche is a large-scale operation to tackle the supply of class A drugs in Bridgend and the Vale of Glamorgan.

“Ultimately our aim is to make South Wales a hostile environment for organised crime groups and we hope today’s sentencing sends the message to those who cause misery in our communities by dealing drugs that we will take action against them.

“We will not tolerate dealers operating within our area – and we are committed to disrupting and dismantling these organisations. So the message is simple – stay away!”

If anyone has information regarding drug supply in Bridgend or the Vale of Glamorgan area you can contact us on 101 or call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.