Drug dealer flew cocaine and cannabis into Parc Prison
Przemek Ignatowicz was caught attempting to smuggle the contraband into HMP Parc whilst he was already under investigation for dealing cocaine.
Police stopped a Renault Twingo in Newport on July 30, 2022, as the vehicle was suspected of being involved in the drug trade.
It was being driven by Toby Chadwick, and Ignatowicz was in the passenger seat.
Officers found cash, mobile phones, and snap bags containing white powder when searching the vehicle, and a further 15 bags of cocaine were found in a backpack split into 0.4 gram deals.
On the defendant's phone, police found numerous 'text bomb' messages showing Ignatowicz's involvement in supplying cocaine since January of that year.
In interview, Ignatowicz denied it was his phone, and claimed the cocaine was for his personal use and the cash came from selling car parts.
Chadwick was sentenced last July for a total of 40 months for this and another drugs offence.
The driver, Toby Chadwick, was jailed last summer. (Image: Facebook)
On May 17, 2023, a drone was spotted flying over HMP Parc in Bridgend and dropping a package on to the roof of one of the units.
Prison staff called the police, and Ignatowicz was found just outside the prison with the drone in his bag and two phones which he had stamped on.
The defendant had dropped several packages into the prison, the first of which contained 20.9 grams of synthetic cannabinoids. A drug expert valued this at £200, but said in prison it was worth 'four to ten times that amount'.
He also dropped packages containing 7.83g of synthetic cannabinoids – worth up to £800, six packages of buprenorphine – a Class C drug – worth up to an estimated £8,680, 1.16g of crack cocaine and 1.76g of cocaine valued up to £3,000, 19 SIM cards valued between £50 and £100 each, and 138 hair growth tablets.
The total value of the contraband was estimated to be between £5,792 and £14,480, the prosecution said.
Cocaine dealer Przemek Ignatowicz was caught flying drugs and SIM card into Parc Prison. (Image: Gwent Police)
The defendant, of Argosy Way in Newport, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and four offences of conveying a prohibited article into a prison.
Mr Taylor, representing the 23-year-old defendant, said there had been some delay in the case coming to court, with Ignatowicz having been 20 and 21 at the time of the offences.
He said the defendant's life had been 'in a powered nosedive' due to his drug and alcohol issues, but that prison had been 'a wake-up call'.
Ignatowicz was now free from drugs and was working to better himself whilst in prison, Mr Taylor said.
Judge Daniel Williams jailed Ignatowicz for a total of five years.
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