Routine police check led to discovery of cocaine and cannabis in car boot

A MAN has pleaded guilty after a routine traffic stop in Pembroke led to the discovery of Class A and Class B drugs with an estimated street value of more than £150,000.

On the morning of Friday (Jan 2), officers from the local Road Policing Unit stopped a grey Seat Ateca on Holyland Road, Pembroke, driven by 43-year-old Dean Evans.

During the stop, Evans made comments to officers suggesting they would find “stuff” in the vehicle. As a result, both he and the car were searched under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

A cardboard box was discovered in the boot containing a one-kilogram block of cocaine along with ten half-kilogram packages of herbal cannabis. The combined street value of the drugs was said to be well in excess of £150,000.

Evans was arrested on suspicion of possession with intent to supply controlled drugs.

Following his arrest, officers carried out a search of Evans’ property, which led to the seizure of a black Mercedes AMG and a VOGE DS900 motorcycle under the Proceeds of Crime Act.

The Mercedes was also searched and found to contain a wallet holding more than £200 in cash, along with a clear snap-seal bag containing a white substance which later tested positive for cocaine.

Evans was charged with possession with intent to supply both Class A and Class B drugs and pleaded guilty at Swansea Magistrates’ Court on Saturday (Jan 3).

He was remanded in custody and is due to be sentenced on Friday (Jan 23).

A PLANNED changeover of vessels at Fishguard Harbour saw the MV Ben My Chree arrive in Pembrokeshire this week ahead of taking over the Fishguard–Rosslare route.

The Isle of Man Steam Packet Company vessel arrived at Fishguard Harbour at 2:14pm on Tuesday (January 6), alongside the Stena Nordica, but did not immediately enter service.

Instead, the Ben My Chree remained alongside overnight while essential restocking and preparations were completed. She officially began operating the Fishguard–Rosslare service on Wednesday (January 7).

Contrary to speculation, the Nordica has not been withdrawn from service. The changeover had been planned for several months as part of Stena Line’s fleet management programme. The Nordica is scheduled to cover other Stena routes while vessels across the fleet undergo dry docking, with the ship also due to have a new gearbox fitted during her time away from Fishguard.

However, the duration of her absence may now be extended following an unrelated incident at Holyhead Port on Wednesday, when the Stena Estrid suffered damage during a berthing manoeuvre. The vessel is understood to be holed and has since gone to dry dock.

The Holyhead cover had originally been expected to be provided by the Stena Edda, but the Estrid incident has altered Stena Line’s operational plans.

The Ben My Chree will now operate the Fishguard–Rosslare service while the Nordica is deployed elsewhere within the Stena fleet. The Ben My Chree is a roll-on, roll-off ferry capable of carrying up to 500 passengers and around 200 cars or approximately 95 freight vehicles.

Built in the Netherlands and launched in 1998, the vessel previously served routes between Heysham and Douglas and has operated the Fishguard–Rosslare crossing before as cover. While fitted with cabins, these are not currently available for booking, and the ship does not offer onboard wi-fi or a premium lounge.

Despite the changes, ferry operations at Fishguard are understood to be running as planned, with both freight and passenger services continuing uninterrupted.

Ben My Chree and Stena Nordica alongside at Fishguard Harbour on Wednesday afternoon (Pic: Marc Evans)

A SENIOR Welsh Conservative has urged the Welsh Government to rethink its approach to business rates, warning that rising bills are pushing some firms in west Wales to the brink of closure.

Samuel Kurtz MS has written to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Mark Drakeford MS, calling on ministers to consider following England’s apparent change of direction on business rates after reports that the UK Labour Government is preparing to reverse proposed increases south of the border.

In his letter, Mr Kurtz says businesses across Pembrokeshire and west Wales are already feeling the effects of higher rateable values, combined with rising costs and falling footfall. He claims a number of firms closed over the Christmas period, with some owners describing business rate increases as “the straw that broke the camel’s back”.

Mr Kurtz, the Member of the Senedd for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire, said business rates were not experienced as a “technical or neutral exercise” by those affected.

“Businesses experience it as higher bills landing on their doormats at a time when overheads are rising and footfall is falling,” he said. “When we are seeing pubs, cafés and shops closing over Christmas, it is clear that the system is not working for the communities it is supposed to serve.”

He has asked whether the Welsh Labour Government intends to reconsider increases to business rates in light of developments in England, and what action is being taken to support firms facing sharp rises that could render otherwise viable businesses unprofitable.

Mr Kurtz also argues that existing reliefs and protections do not adequately reflect conditions on the ground, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises that fall just outside eligibility thresholds.

“Warm words and reassurances about fairness do not pay the bills,” he added. “What businesses want to know is whether the Welsh Government is prepared to listen, to act, and to prevent more closures on our high streets and in our town centres.”

In response to growing concern, Mr Kurtz and Paul Davies MS are due to host an online meeting on Monday (Jan 26) at 10:30am for businesses across west Wales. The session will focus on the impact of rising rateable values on hospitality, tourism and town-centre firms, and will give business owners the opportunity to share their experiences directly.

The meeting forms part of wider efforts to press for longer-term reform of the non-domestic rates system in Wales, including calls for a freeze or further reduction in the multiplier, broader eligibility for relief, and greater recognition of the pressures facing rural and coastal economies.

Responding to the concerns, a Welsh Government spokesperson said business rates in Wales are devolved and that ministers have already provided targeted support to smaller firms.

They said: “We recognise the pressures facing businesses and have invested more than £1 billion in business rates support since the pandemic. Wales continues to offer one of the most generous packages of relief in the UK, with the majority of small businesses paying no business rates at all.

“We keep the non-domestic rates system under review and will continue to engage with businesses and representative bodies to ensure support is targeted where it is needed most.”

Mr Kurtz, however, warned that without a change of course, further closures were inevitable.

“Unless the Welsh Government acts,” he said, “we will continue to see businesses close, jobs lost and communities hollowed out.”