The five defendants were involved in running a “successful” criminal enterprise.
They were dealt with after they all pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply the class A drug in Newport, Cwmbran and Pontypool.
Four of them have been jailed. They were, with their sentences, as follows:
- Jamie Webber, 34, of Buttermere Way, St Julians, sent to prison for 10 years and four months
- Michael Cornwall, 43, of no fixed abode, was jailed for five years
- Nabeela Kaid, 36, of James Street, was locked up for three years and four months.
- Alexa Cronin, 42, of Parry Drive, was imprisoned for 28 months.
- Sinead Carey, 24, of Don Close, Bettws, jailed for 24 months but the sentence was suspended for 24 months.
A sixth member, Said Kaid, who is Nabeela Kaid’s brother, is due to sentenced later this month and he was remanded in custody.
(Image: Jamie Webber)
Prosecutor Heath Edwards told Newport Crown Court: “The conspiracy employed a drugs line.
“Said Kaid and Jamie Webber ran the enterprise with Michael Cornwall acting as their trusted associate.
“The defendants supplied 3kg of cocaine in Newport, Pontypool and Cwmbran.”
(Image: Michael Cornwall)
Cornwall was a “courier and custodian of the drugs” with Said Kaid’s sister and Cornwall’s cousin Nabeela Kaid recruited to play a “hands-on role”.
Mother-of-two Carey helped with “storage” and Cronin was their “delivery driver”.
The gang’s drugs line had more than 1,300 contacts and there were dozens of customers’ delivery addresses listed with postcodes, Mr Edwards added.
They used a rota so that drugs could be delivered around the clock.
(Image: Nabeela Kaid)
Nearly half a kilo of cocaine with a potential street value of £18,000 and a purity of between 80% and 84% were found at a flat upstairs above the Royal Albert pub in Newport.
It had been stored in a laundry basket.
Webber has a previous conviction for drug trafficking and has several convictions for violence including grievous bodily harm with intent, wounding and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Jeffrey Jones for Cronin said the mother-of-four had been in debt when she became involved with “bailiffs pursuing her for money”.
(Image: Alexa Cronin)
He added that she had no previous convictions.
Joshua Scouller representing Webber asked the court to take into account his guilty plea.
Byron Broadstock mitigating for Cornwall submitted that his client had played a “subordinate role”.
Nabeela Kaid’s barrister Julia Cox said that the defendant had worked as an NHS switchboard operator and had looked after six children.
Carey’s lawyer Harry Baker argued that the mother-of-two “had been used by others” and had no previous convictions.
Her behaviour, he said, had been “immature and naïve”.
Judge Eugene Egan told the defendants: “This was a successful drugs business.
“You were playing for high stakes and you all ultimately lost.”
He said that Said Kaid and Jamie Webber had been at the “apex” with Nabeela Kaid playing “a more hands-on” role than the other two women.
“You were more than happy to become involved,” the judge added.
Carey was made the subject of a six-month curfew between 7pm and 7am and she will have to complete a 20-day rehabilitation activity order.
Said Kaid, Nabeela Kaid and Jamie Webber are set to face a proceeds of crime hearing.