Leader of drugs gang jailed after fleeing overseas

THE leader of an organised crime gang (OCG) involved in the sale of commercial amounts of cocaine and ketamine fled to Spain before moving on to Venezuela and Colombia.

- PHILIP DEWEY

His co-conspirators were found in possession of £50,000 worth of cocaine and £38,000 concealed inside a book.

Paul Harris, 28, ran the OCG based in southeast Wales, which was the subject of an investigation by Gwent Police. A raid was carried out at a property in Chepstow in February 2021, which resulted in the seizure of 28g of cocaine.

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court heard mobile phones were seized that were found to contain messages linking Harris and others in the supply of controlled drugs.

After the arrest of his co-conspirators, Harris left the UK in June 2021 and travelled to Spain, where he continued to run the drugs operation.

The defendant then travelled to South America, where he initially arrived in Venezuela before settling in Colombia.