A man from Swanage and a woman from Corfe Castle have been imprisoned for their part in an organised crime gang which trafficked large quantities of cocaine and cannabis from Dorset into Pembrokeshire in Wales.
Operation Rookley saw a total of six people jailed following a covert investigation by Dyfed-Powys Police’s serious and organised crime team, which dismantled the gang that was transporting both the Class A and Class B drugs between Dorset, Merseyside and Pembrokeshire over an 11 month period.
Terence Harrison aged 43, of Kings Road West in Swanage, Dorset
Swanage-based Liverpudlian Terence Harrison sentenced to 8 years 4 months
At Swansea Crown Court in Glamorgan on Friday 2nd December 2022, Terence Harrison aged 43, of Kings Road West in Swanage, was sentenced to 8 years 4 months. At an earlier hearing, along with two others, he had pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A and B drugs.
The two others sentenced alongside him were Leigh Smith aged 44 of Owls Road in Verwood in Dorset, who was sentenced to 3 years and 9 months and Shaun Lucas aged 48 from Fishguard, who was sentenced to 9 years and 8 months.
Charlotte Doe aged 32, of Halves Cottages in Corfe Castle, Dorset
Charlotte Doe from Corfe Castle sentenced to 13 months for money laundering
Charlotte Doe aged 32, of Halves Cottages in Corfe Castle was sentenced to 13 months and Ryan Ager, aged 34 from Liverpool, was sentenced to 19 months, both having pleaded guilty to money laundering.
At an earlier hearing, Ozan Kilicaslan aged 30 from Poole, was sentenced to 41 weeks in prison having pleaded guilty to money laundering and conspiracy to supply class B drugs.
Leone James, aged 33 from Goodwick in Pembrokeshire, will be sentenced on Friday 16th December 2022, having pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class B drugs.
An eighth person, Steven John Kerr aged 35 from Billinge, near Wigan, was found not guilty of money laundering following a trial.
Shaun Lucas aged 48 from Fishguard, Pembrokeshire
“Culmination of more than a year of police work”
Dyfed-Powys Police senior investigating officer DI Richard Lewis said:
“This was a lengthy operation involving a number of departments across the force, who investigated intelligence, coordinated a series of warrants, interviewed the defendants and carried out detailed enquiries into their activity.
“Today’s sentencing is the culmination of more than a year of police work, which saw the disruption of a major supply chain into Pembrokeshire and the dismantling of an organised crime gang, which was no doubt linked to illegal activity on a wider scale.”
Terence Harrison supplied the drugs to Welsh gang
According to Pembrokeshire Police, the gang was headed by Shaun Lucas, who sourced the drugs from Swanage-based Liverpudlian Terence Harrison.
Shaun Lucas was then responsible for the onward supply of the cocaine and cannabis in the Fishguard and wider Pembrokeshire area.
Shaun Lucas used his partner Leone James’ home address in Goodwick near Fishguard, as a base to serve his numerous customers.
He also used this address to meet with couriers, Poole-based Ozan Kilicaslan and Verwood-based Leigh Smith who were responsible for the delivery of drugs, as well as those responsible for collecting the cash generated from the sale of the cocaine and cannabis.
As part of the operation, police seized 244 grams of cocaine as it was being transported from Dorset to Pembrokeshire in October 2021.
Ryan Ager aged 34 from Liverpool
Continued their illicit activities
Despite this enforcement action, they continued their illicit activities and in December 2021 Ozan Kilicaslan was arrested on his return journey from Shaun Lucas’ home address in Fishguard.
The police said that his vehicle smelt strongly of cannabis and he tested positive for the presence of cocaine during a roadside drug swipe. Within his vehicle officers found £15,000 in cash that was linked to Shaun Lucas.
Following this further disruption, the gang continued to traffic cocaine and cannabis into the Pembrokeshire area for the onward supply by Shaun Lucas and less than three weeks later, Leigh Smith delivered a large quantity of cocaine to Shaun Lucas in Fishguard.
Charlotte Doe arrested with £26,700 cash
In January 2022, Corfe Castle-based Charlotte Doe was arrested on her return journey to Dorset from Shaun Lucas’ home in Fishguard.
Officers found more than £26,700 in cash in her vehicle in two bundles, which were later forensically linked to both Shaun Lucas and Terence Harrison.
The following day the gang continued with their activity and Shaun Lucas travelled to Dorset to meet with Terence Harrison.
In March 2022 over a two week period eight people were arrested in the Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Dorset and Pembrokeshire areas.
Ryan Ager, who refused to engage with officers at the time, later handed himself in at a Merseyside police station.
Leigh Smith aged 44 of Owls Road in Verwood, Dorset
“Confiscating criminal assets”
Dyfed-Powys Police commander superintendent Anthony Evans said:
“As a force we are making it a priority to target the people who bring and sell drugs in our area, so we’re pleased to have secured this result.
“Further work will now be carried out in relation to a Proceeds of Crime Act investigation which is aimed at confiscating criminal assets gained through illegal activities.
“Operation Rookley has resulted in the disruption of the supply of drugs into Pembrokeshire and shows Dyfed-Powys is intent on preventing travelling criminals from entering the area.”
