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Wales Online
6 days ago
- General
- Wales Online
Police found counterfeit tobacco in his car but it was nothing next to what they discovered at home
Police found counterfeit tobacco in his car but it was nothing next to what they discovered at home Kieran Pritchard's car was stopped by police but it led officers to search his home as well Kieran Pritchard (Image: Dyfed-Powys Police ) The discovery of counterfeit tobacco in the back of a man's car led police to discover he was a cocaine dealer, a court has heard. Officers found scores of packages of counterfeit tobacco in Kieran Pritchard's car which he said he was buying cheaply from abroad and selling on. An investigation showed he had also been dealing cocaine over the previous 18 months. Swansea Crown Court heard Pritchard got involved in dealing to pay off debts incurred by his brother following his sibling's incarceration, and that "he believed he was doing the right thing". David Singh, prosecuting, told the court that on December 29, 2023, police stopped Pritchard's Vauxhall Astra on the road between Llandysul and Pencader and found 73 packages of what was purported to be Golden Virginia and Amber Lead tobacco. He said an examination of the tobacco found it to be counterfeit. Pritchard told the officers he was buying tobacco cheaply from overseas and selling it on at a profit, making £5 per pack. The court heard that police subsequently carried out a search of the defendant's house and found a quantity of cocaine, empty bags, weighing scales, and £29,000 in cash. Pritchard's phones were seized and examined and they showed not only his dealing in tobacco but his involvement in cocaine supply over the previous 18 months. Article continues below The prosecutor said that in his police interview the 33-year-old defendant told officers he had turned to dealing as he felt "obliged" to pay debts owed by his brother following his incarceration. The defendant also said he had bought the cocaine "from a lorry driver" to be sold on at a profit. For the latest court reports sign up to our crime newsletter Keiran Pritchard, of Heol y Gaer, Llanybydder, Carmarthenshire, had previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply counterfeit tobacco, possession of cocaine with intent to supply, being concerned in the supply of cocaine, and possession of criminal property - namely cash - when he appeared in the dock for sentencing. He has no previous convictions. Kate Williams, for Pritchard, said it was unlikely the defendant would have become involved in the offending had he not felt obliged to pay off his brother's debts, adding: "He believed he was doing the right thing". She said her client had a good work ethic and said a period of immediate incarceration would have a significant impact on his young daughter. Recorder Christopher Felstead said he was sorry for the impact a custodial sentence would have on Pritchard's daughter but told the defendant that was something he had brought on himself when he chose to get involved in Class A drug dealing. With a one-quarter discount for his guilty pleas Pritchard was sentenced to 40 months in prison. He will serve up to half that sentence in custody before being released on licence to serve the remainder in the community. A proceeds of crime investigation will now be launched into the defendant's finances. Article continues below
Sunday World
03-06-2025
- Business
- Sunday World
Truck driver arrested as illegal tobacco worth almost €450k seized at Dublin Port
Investigations are ongoing A UK truck driver has been arrested after illegal tobacco worth almost €450,000 was seized at Dublin Port on Saturday. Revenue officers discovered 504.5kg of tobacco smuggled among a consignment of bedframes. The truck, which arrived from the UK, contained 'Turner' and 'Golden Virginia' tobacco with an estimated retail value of €446,100, representing a potential loss to the Exchequer of almost €337,000. The vehicle was searched following a risk profiling assessment by Revenue officers. The driver of the truck was arrested and has since appeared before the courts. Tobacco seized by Revenue at Dublin Port News in 90 Seconds - 3rd June 2025 In a statement, a spokesperson for Revenue said: 'On Saturday, 31/05/2025, as a result of risk profiling, Revenue officers seized 504.5 Kgs of Tobacco at Dublin Port. The seizure was made with the assistance of Revenue's x-ray scanner.' 'Investigations are ongoing.'
Irish Daily Mirror
03-06-2025
- Business
- Irish Daily Mirror
Truck driver arrested after tobacco worth over €445,000 seized at Dublin Port
A man has been arrested after more than 500 kgs of tobacco worth over €445,000 were seized by Revenue officers at Dublin Port. Revenue officers made the discovery on Saturday, May 31, as a result of risk profiling, and with the assistance of Revenue's mobile x-ray scanner. The smuggled tobacco, branded 'Turner' and 'Golden Virginia', was discovered concealed in a consignment of bedframes, following the search of a truck that arrived from the UK. The contraband has an estimated retail value of approximately €446,100, representing a potential loss to the Exchequer of almost €337,000. The driver of the truck was arrested and he has since appeared before the courts. A spokesperson for Revenue said that investigations are ongoing. They added: 'This seizure is part of Revenue's ongoing operations targeting the shadow economy and the supply and sale of illegal tobacco products. 'If businesses or members of the public have any information regarding smuggling, they can contact Revenue in confidence on free phone number 1800 295 295.' For the latest news and breaking news visit Get all the big headlines, pictures, analysis, opinion and video on the stories that matter to you. Follow us on Twitter @IrishMirror - the official Irish Mirror Twitter account - real news in real time. We're also on Facebook/irishmirror - your must-see news, features, videos and pictures throughout the day from the Irish Daily Mirror, Irish Sunday Mirror and
North Wales Live
09-05-2025
- North Wales Live
Drug dealer tried to throw his stash over a fence when police turned up
An Anglesey drug dealer was caught "red handed" with cocaine. When police stopped Mathew Cai Jones he pretended he needed to go to the toilet in an alley and threw the drugs over a fence. But the defendant, now 21, of Ffordd Beibio, Holyhead, was arrested. A judge at Caernarfon Crown Court today jailed him for two years for possession with intent to supply cocaine on November 17, 2023. Prosecutor Joseph Lees said police got a call from someone in Holyhead at 3.30pm on November 7, 2023 about a domestic argument. You can sign up for all the latest court stories here Officers arrived and found Jones and his partner walking away. They approached them and they denied arguing even though Jones had a cut lip, the court heard. Jones said he needed to go to the toilet and he went away but a police officer saw him throw something over a wire fence. He was arrested and police found a Golden Virginia tobacco pouch containing 33 bags of white powder. He was searched and was found to be carrying £422.45 in cash. Police also searched Jones' home and found a cannabis grinder, scales, a Tupperware box containing snap bags of cocaine, other drugs, and a plastic bag with a cannabis logo on it. Some of the cocaine had an 80% purity. A mobile phone had messages with evidence of drug dealing, the court heard. The total amount of drugs was said to be worth £4,080, a police expert found. Richard Edwards, defending Jones, said he had been an addict and in debt. He has turned his life around, is in a relationship and has got a job. There were "glowing references" from people at a campsite in Porthmadog where he used to work. But the judge His Honour Rhys Rowlands pointed out that in February 2023 Jones had been given a suspended sentence for possession of the Class B drug ketamine with intent to supply but had gone on to peddle Class A cocaine around Anglesey a few months later. He said Jones was not naive and knew the risk he was running "but nonetheless it was a risk you chose to take". He had been caught red-handed. Jones was also given a concurrent, 27-month jail term for being concerned in the supply of cocaine from May to November 2023, and a consecutive term of six months in jail was imposed from a suspended sentence for earlier offending. There was no separate penalty for possession of cannabis in November 2023.
