Ryan Greening, Adam Hartery, and Daniel Laity came to the attention of the police when they were linked to phone numbers which had been supplying drugs, prosecutor Tom Roberts said.
All three men were arrested on September 19 last year and their phones were seized.
Messages on Greening’s phone showed he had supplied drugs to a youth and then employed that child as a drugs runner.
Greening was involved in selling street deals of between 0.5 grams and 3.5 grams of cocaine, as well as supplying wholesale amounts of cocaine to dealers below him in the chain.
The messages showed Laity was a runner for Greening, supplying drugs and collecting cash on his behalf, but was also a supplier in his own right.
Hartery sold cocaine directly to users, however needed permission from those above him to sell ‘on tick’. He also recruited people to join the operation, and was given drugs as payment after storing drugs for Greening.
The three men pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply cocaine between March last year and the date of their arrest.
Greening, 32, of Charlotte Place, had six previous convictions for 22 offences, including for possession with intent to supply Class B and being concerned in the supply of cocaine.
32-year-old Hartery, of Clos Yr Harbwr, had two unrelated previous convictions, whilst Laity, 31, of St Nicholas’ Road, had no previous convictions.
“He recognises the impact this offending has, not only on the community but also his family,” said Kathryn Lane, for Greening.
“He hopes to draw a line under this lifestyle he has led for a number of years and keep himself out of trouble.”
Peter Donnison, for Laity, said his client became involved “at a particularly difficult part of his life” in order to fund his drug habit and make money.
He said Laity had “used his time wisely” in custody, completing a number of courses and cleaning himself of drugs.
Christopher Evans, for Hartery, said the defendant had worked for the Vale of Glamorgan council for 17 years as a loader.
He said Hartery previously “buried his head in the sand” when it came to his issues with cannabis, alcohol, and cocaine, but was now working “positively” with Dyfodol to overcome them.
Sentencing the trio, Recorder Paul Lewis KC said: “Anyone who involves themselves in the supply of Class A drugs, if they appear before me, is going to jail and is going to jail for a significant period.”
Greening was jailed for six years, Hartery for three-and-a-half years, and Laity for two years and three months.
