Latest news with #BoxGuesthouse
South Wales Argus
2 hours ago
- South Wales Argus
Newport drug dealer who made £1.8 million to repay just £10
Jade Strutt, aged 37, from Newport was part of a gang jailed for more than 85 years. She was locked up for nine years last December for her role in the operation. The proceeds of crime hearing at Cardiff Crown Court heard how the defendant, formerly of Llanwern Road, profited by £1,891,409. Strutt has no assets to her name and was ordered by Judge Simon Mills to hand over the nominal amount of £10 within three months or face an extra seven days in prison. She was in a gang whose dealings mainly focussed around the Box Hotel on Corporation Road in Newport. Heroin, cocaine and ecstasy would be stored there and it was here where their meetings would take place. Some drugs were also stored at the Box Guesthouse on Stow Hill. The whole operation was being overseen from afar by a drugs kingpin living in Cambodia. Catching the gang involved the largest enforcement in Gwent Police's recent history with five warrants executed in September 2023 at buildings in Newport and Cardiff. A spokesperson for Gwent Police said: "These warrants involved 80 firearms officers and around 100 supporting officers and staff. "Throughout the investigation, five cars, including a Range Rover were seized, along with multiple mobile phones.' The following drugs were found: Cocaine with an estimated street value of £74,000 Heroin with a street value of £9,000 Ecstasy powder worth around £49,000 Ecstasy tablets with an estimated street value of more than £6,000 The operation was handling huge amounts of money. Detective Inspector Ian Bartholomew from Gwent Police's organised crime squad said: 'This has been an exhaustive investigation. 'Through conducting hours of surveillance, we were able to build a robust case to ensure those involved were brought to justice.'
South Wales Argus
30-07-2025
- South Wales Argus
Newport linked drug dealer who made £120k to repay just £1
Shaquille Germaine was linked to a Newport-based organised crime operation run from the city's Box Hotel and Box Guesthouse. He was jailed for seven years and six months in April after he pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of ecstasy. Cardiff Crown Court heard how his offending took place between November 1, 2022 and September 13, 2023. The 27-year-old, of Pepys Crescent, Llanrumney, Cardiff was back in court for a proceeds of crime hearing. William Bebb, prosecuting, revealed how Shaquille Germaine profited by £119,965.53 selling the class A drug. The defendant has no assets which can be seized and was ordered by Judge Shomon Khan to hand over a nominal sum of £1. He must do so within two months or face an additional seven days in prison. When Shaquille Germaine was sentenced, the court heard that Mohammed Hassan, 46, was the manager of the Box Hotel on Corporation Road. Ffion Tomos, prosecuting, said that heroin, cocaine and ecstasy would be stored there and it was where meetings would take place Some drugs were also stored at the Box Guesthouse on Stow Hill. Among the customers picking up ecstasy to sell on was Jamie Germaine, 52, and his sons Shaquille Germaine and Tyrell Germaine, 29. They had a 'family business' supplying thousands of tablets. The whole operation was being overseen from afar by a drugs kingpin living "the high life" in Cambodia. Judge Daniel Williams told Hassan: 'In certain respects, this group was disorganised. Your life, Mr Hassan was, you may agree, chaotic. 'You are breathtakingly dishonest and during your evidence at trial it was, on occasion, laughable. 'But you played a leading role in supplying vast amounts of three types of drug capable of devastating lives, devastating livelihoods and ruining families. 'Your self-serving patter looks less funny when you consider that.' Hassan was jailed for 14 years after he was found guilty by a jury of conspiracy to supply class A drugs. The Germaine trio, all of Pepys Crescent, Llanrumney, Cardiff all pleaded guilty. Jamie Germaine admitted conspiracy to supply ecstasy while Shaquille Germaine and Tyrell Germaine accepted being concerned in the supply of the class A drug. The trio were jailed in 2019 over a conspiracy to supply nearly £4 million of cannabis. Judge Williams jailed Jamie Germaine for seven years and four months and Tyrell Germaine for four years and two months. Six other defendants were locked up for a joint total of 52 years last December.
