Plasterer 'used business as cover to launder profits from drug deals'

A LARGE-SCALE cocaine dealer used his plastering business as “cover” to help launder the profits he was making, a court has heard. When police raided a self-storage unit being rented by David Davies they found four kilos of coke along with quantities of ketamine and ecstasy.

- JASON EVANS Court and crime reporter

Swansea Crown Court heard that an examination of Davies’ phone showed the scale of his dealing operation, along with the fact that somebody had burgled his home while he was at this summer's Oasis concert in Cardiff and taken £20,000 and drugs, and that he was offering a reward for information about those responsible.

Dean Pulling, prosecuting, told the court that on July 23 this year officers from South Wales Police's organised crime team executed a search warrant at Davies' house in Loughor.

The defendant was not present and a search of the house turned up quantities of cannabis and ecstasy along with a large number of empty grip-seal bags and £558 in cash as well as an assortment of Euros.

The court heard that 36-year-old Davies drove up to the address in an Audi car while police were at the scene - despite not holding a full driving licence - and the officers explained why they were there. The defendant was searched and £370 in a wallet and a phone were seized. He was arrested and taken to Swansea Central police station.

The court heard that inquiries led officers to a self-storage unit in Gorseinon rented by the defendant. In the lockup police found four one-kilo blocks of cocaine - two of which were in a safe - along with ketamine, and ecstasy in both powder and tablet forms. Davies answered “no comment” to all questions asked in interview.