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Wales Online
Wales Online
National
Philip Dewey

Couple unmasked as cocaine and ketamine dealers who were running 'sizeable' operation

A couple involved in the supply of cocaine and ketamine were found with stashes of class A drugs.

Alana Morgan, 32, and Jack Cox, 27, of Blackwood, were both found to have been involved in a "sizeable operation" which saw them dealing to a wide network of customers.

Mother-of-three Morgan was first visited by police at her home on July 21 last year when officers executed a search warrant and found four bags of cocaine.

These included three adulterated bags weighing between 0.27g and 0.31g of cociane and an unadulterated bag of cocaine weighing 0.8g. Together the bags were worth between £120 and £150. She was also in possession of £230 and a mobile phone.

Read more: Go here to see all the latest court coverage from around Wales

Prosecutor Byron Broadstock told a sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday Morgan's phone was examined and found to contain numerous messages between the dealer and her customers about weights, prices and deliveries.

A "tick list" was also found on the phone, which indicated the defendant was owed a total of £1,140 by customers, and "text bombs" advertising drugs had also be sent out to a large number of people.

Alana Morgan, 32, of Blackwood, was involved in the supply of cocaine and was found in possession of the drug (Gwent Police)

Following her arrest and release pending investigation, police again visited the home Morgan shared with Cox in Clos Afon Tywi on November 11 and seized a number of items including a small bag of cocaine weighing 0.8g, mobile phones, micro scales, and snap bags.

When mobile phones belonging to both defendants from that raid were examined, further messages relating to drug dealing were discovered and Facebook messages attributed to Cox established he was dealing both cocaine and ketamine.

Jack Cox, 37, of Blackwood, was involved in the supply of cocaine and ketamine (Gwent Police)

Following their arrest, Morgan later pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply cocaine and being concerned in the supply of cocaine. Cox pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and ketamine.

The court heard Cox had a number of previous convictions for drug offences, burglary, theft, possession of a knife, public disorder and breach of court orders. Morgan was of previous good character.

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In mitigation, Emma Harris for Morgan said her client was a regular user of cocaine and became involved in supplying class A drugs in order to fund her own habit, which spiralled after the death of her father, and to pay off a significant debt to her dealers. But since being remanded in custody she is now drink and drug free.

The defence barrister said the defendant wished to be a "positive role model" to her children and wished to use her time in prison constructively.

William Bebb, for Cox, said his client accepted he would be receiving a "substantial" custodial sentence, and he would use his time in prison proiductively by completing a personal trainer and sport nutrition course.

He said drugs were prevalent in the defendant's life and he had struggled to find routines to keep him on "the straight and narrow".

Sentencing, Judge Jeremy Jenkins said: "Both of you face immediate custody and only an immediate custodial sentence can be justified in this case. This was a sizable operation."

Morgan was sentenced to 32 months imprisonment and Cox was sentenced to 40 months imprisonment.

Both defendants appeared via video link from their respective prisons, and after being sentenced Cox danced and waved at Morgan, as well as flexing his muscles.

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