Crime

More cocaine found on west Wales shoreline following police search operation

Published

3 years ago

October 8, 2022

FOLLOWING the discovery of £90m worth of cocaine on a west Wales beach last weekend, police have deployed significant resources to searches.

This was following intelligence being received that more of the class A substance was out there waiting to be found.

Not wanting this to fall into the wrong hands, specialist police teams ensured that a significant area of land and sea has been searched.

Police said searches were carried out by land, sea and air resulting in “the discovery of a number of packages of what we suspect to be cocaine”.

The cocaine is marked with a DIOR logo by the manufacturing cartel (Image: Police)

A spokesperson for Dyfed-Powys Police said: “We’ve been supported by neighbouring forces, the NCA and NPAS after packages of class A drugs were recovered from a beach in Ceredigion on Saturday (October 1).

“There have since been finds in a number of places along the coast, all of which have been seized by officers for analysis.

“Initial tests suggest the substance recovered is cocaine, however the packages will undergo further examination, which could take a number of weeks.”

A force spokesman told The Herald: “This has been a significant operation so far, which has involved a large amount of resources both from Dyfed-Powys, neighbouring forces and partner agencies.

“Since the discovery of a number of packages of what we suspect to be cocaine, ground, aerial and marine crews have all been dispatched to monitor the area in case there were further items at sea.

“We are aware that the public have seen a higher presence of police in the area than usual, and we would like to thank them for their vigilance, patience and support.

“The police presence will continue over the coming days, and we repeat our message that anyone who finds a package – or knows someone who has – should contact us immediately.

“The contents shouldn’t be touched, and partner agencies have been briefed on the risks associated with the possession of this find.”
Work is ongoing to establish how the bundles came to land ashore here and who they may belong to

On October 1, an unnamed project manager was walking along Tan-y-Bwlch beach, near Aberystwyth, when he came across the 30 black packages.

The packages were tied to empty jerry cans with rope to keep the Class A drugs afloat at sea.

The walker told The Ceredigion Herald: “I was out for my early morning walk when I saw something on the beach.

“I was intrigued and walked up to it and knew what it was almost straight away. An old lady called the police and they came around half an hour later.

“They cut open a bag and it looked like pure cocaine. They dragged it off the beach and took it away.”

A spokeswoman for Dyfed-Powys Police said last week: “We are investigating the discovery of a significant quantity of what is thought to be cocaine, spotted along the coast this weekend.”

“Enquiries are being undertaken to establish how such an unusually large amount of the controlled drug came to wash up on the Welsh shore, following recent storms.

“The precise quantity is still being established and at this time no-one has been arrested in relation to this matter.

“Officers have thanked those who found the packages and their sensible actions in reporting the matter immediately.”

The news comes after last month, over a dozen bricks emblazoned with a ‘Dior’ label washed ashore in the town of Biloxi, which sits on the Gulf of Mexico.

Mississippi Bureau of Narcotics Director Steven Maxwell said of that haul: “There was likely to be a large amount of drugs that either fell off a vessel or they were intentionally dropped off to be picked up by someone else or another group of individuals.”

One man was arrested for allegedly trying to remove one of the packages.

Crime

Former Wales rugby star admits Christmas Day drink-driving offence

Published

8 minutes ago

February 4, 2026

Sarah-Jane Absalom

Ex-Ospreys captain was almost twice over limit in Pembroke town centre

Former Wales back row Jonathan Thomas has admitted driving through Pembroke town centre on Christmas Day when he was almost twice over the drink-drive limit.

This week Haverfordwest magistrates heard that Thomas, 43, was stopped by officers as he drove his Mercedes CLA 220 along The Green, Pembroke, at around 5pm on Christmas Day.

“The officers were very concerned at the manner of his driving, as the car was being driven erratically and was swerving to the other side of the road,” said Crown Prosecutor Sian Vaughan.

“When Jonathan Thomas got out of the car, the officers could see that he was having difficulty standing and was unsteady on his feet.”

Subsequent breathalyser tests showed Thomas had 62 mcg of alcohol in his system, the legal limit being 35.

Thomas, who has no previous convictions, pleaded guilty to the drink-drive charge and was represented in court by solicitor Jess Hill.

“He has family in the area and had travelled to spend time with them on Christmas Day,” she told the magistrates. “He’s very remorseful for his actions and hugely regrets his decision that day.”

Jess Hill concluded by saying that Thomas is currently “between jobs and living off his savings”.

Thomas, who gave his address as Main Road, Bredon, was disqualified from driving for a total of 18 months.

“The length of your disqualification reflects the fact that you were more than a little bit over the limit,” commented the presiding magistrates when imposing sentence.

He was fined £120 and ordered to pay £85 costs and a £48 court surcharge.

The former Wales back row left his role as Swansea RFC head coach at the beginning of December 2025 as a result of ongoing health concerns. He was forced to retire from playing in 2015 on medical advice after being diagnosed with epilepsy and is one of the 390 former rugby union players currently taking part in a concussion lawsuit against the sport’s authorities.

“Long-standing issues linked to the head trauma have caused me some concern recently and it has been impossible for me to give the role everything it needs,” he said in a previous interview with the BBC.

His rugby career started out with Pembroke RFC juniors before moving to Swansea RFC, which he captained when he was 19. He then joined the Ospreys where, over a ten-year period, he won four league titles and an Anglo-Welsh Cup. He was the youngest player to captain the Ospreys and, at the time of leaving, was the joint highest appearance holder, together with Andrew Bishop, on 188 appearances.

His international career saw him play for Wales at Under-16, Youth, Under-19, Under-21 and Sevens levels. He made his senior international debut against Australia in 2003, featured at the 2007 Rugby World Cup and was part of two Six Nations Grand Slam-winning sides in 2005 and 2008. Between 2004 and 2011, Thomas was included in every Wales Six Nations squad. In his appearances for Wales, he scored seven tries.

Crime

Drink-driver narrowly avoided collision in town centre

Published

52 minutes ago

February 4, 2026

Sarah-Jane Absalom

Motorist almost three times over legal limit

A DRINK-driver narrowly avoided crashing into another vehicle while almost three times over the legal alcohol limit, a court has heard.

Nathan Lloyd, 33, was seen driving a Nissan X-Trail in Haverfordwest in the early hours of December 20 without headlights.

Police followed the vehicle, which narrowly missed a car and struck a kerb before being stopped.

Lloyd, of Adams Drive, Narberth, recorded a breath reading of 97 micrograms of alcohol, nearly three times the legal limit.

He was disqualified from driving for two years and given a 12-month community order requiring 80 hours of unpaid work and 20 rehabilitation days. He was ordered to pay £114 surcharge and £85 costs.