Nine people jailed for drug dealing network in Cardiff
Group sentenced for using teenagers to distribute drugs across South Wales
Last updated 23rd Jan 2026
Nine people have been jailed for their involvement in a major drugs network operating from Cardiff, resulting in sentences totalling over 45 years.
The network, led by Ricardo Brown, ran the ‘MJ’ drug line from Ely, Cardiff, recruiting teenagers and young adults as runners who often used e-bikes to deliver drugs and collect cash.
South Wales Police arrested the group as part of Operation Sittella, an investigation that uncovered a substantial amount of evidence, including images and videos of members producing crack cocaine and handling large sums of money. One photo shared on social media showed Brown and two others posing with a rented Lamborghini, highlighting the extravagant lifestyle associated with their earnings.
According to police, the MJ drugs line had been in operation since 2020, spreading its reach across Cardiff and other parts of South Wales. It came to an end when the group was arrested in December 2024.
Sentencing took place at Cardiff Crown Court on 21st and 22nd January 2025, where all nine members pleaded guilty to multiple drug offences. Among the crimes attributed to the group was the death of a customer in June 2020 who had never taken heroin before. Within 48 hours of purchasing heroin from the MJ line, the customer passed away. Her cause of death was recorded as ‘mixed drug toxicity.’
They received the following sentences:
Ricardo Brown, 26, of Butetown, the leader of the organised crime group, was jailed for 12 years and five months.
Dylan Stanger, 25, of Barry, Brown’s right-hand man, was jailed for seven years and nine months.
Jaydon Watkins, of Ely, linked to a cannabis supply line connected to the group, received a three-year prison sentence.
Sam Hatton, 18, of Ely, a street-level dealer who later created his own drug line, was jailed for five years.
Levi Robson, 24, of Ely, who managed drug supply and runners, received a sentence of three years and six months.
Ieuan Coombes, 21, of Ely, involved in distributing drugs beyond Cardiff, received jail time of three years and eight months.
Lewis Adams, 27, of Barry, supplied wholesale quantities of cocaine and was sentenced to four years and five months.
Thomas Haysham, 25, of Barry, received a five-year and ten-month jail sentence.
Stacey Cassemis, 37, from Ely, who allowed her home to be used for preparing and cooking crack cocaine, received a two-year suspended sentence.
Detective Chief Inspector Tim Jones from South Wales Police described the operation as “highly organised” with “clear leadership and defined roles.” He also highlighted the group’s exploitation of children, calling it "common practice" among similar criminal networks.
He added: “We all have a responsibility and a moral obligation to look for the signs of exploitation and act on them.”