Three people from Newport have been sentenced after being found guilty of cocaine supply and criminal property offences, with over £1,600 seized by police in the process.
The trio, two women and one man, were all Newport residents who appeared before the court following an investigation by Gwent Police. As part of the sentencing, £1,635 was forfeited to Gwent Police, money that had been linked to their criminal activity.
Cocaine supply offences carry serious penalties under UK law, and courts in Wales have been increasingly firm in dealing with drug-related crime across the south Wales region. Gwent Police have been actively targeting supply networks operating in and around Newport, which as a city has faced ongoing challenges with drug-related crime.
The forfeiture of cash alongside criminal sentencing is a tool used by police and prosecutors to strip those convicted of the financial gains made through illegal activity. Even relatively small amounts like this can represent the proceeds of street-level dealing, and forces like Gwent Police treat the recovery of such funds as an important part of disrupting local drug supply chains.
Newport has seen a number of similar prosecutions in recent years as part of broader efforts to tackle drug supply networks across Gwent. Police in the area have consistently said that targeting those who supply cocaine and other Class A drugs at street level remains a priority, with communities in the city bearing the brunt of the harm caused by the trade.
Gwent Police have not released the full names or individual sentences of those involved at this stage, but confirmed that all three individuals were sentenced and that the forfeiture order was granted by the court.