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News

Pembrokeshire specialist dogs help Kent Police in tobacco bust

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A TWO-DAY operation which saw hundreds of thousands of illegal cigarettes and tobacco seized wouldn’t have happened without two crime-fighting dogs from Pembrokeshire, their owner has said.

Operation Puggle, which took place on April 3 and 4, saw 242,500 illicit cigarettes and 1,516 pouches of tobacco pouches – worth an estimated street value of £76,000 – seized from eight shops.

Five detection dogs from B.W.Y Canine in Llandissilio took part in the joint operation at Gravesend, involving Kent Police and Kent Trading Standards, customs and the UK Immigration Service.

Stuart Phillips, from BWY Canine, said: “I was tasked by Kent Police and Kent Trading Standards to assist them on Operation Puggle, which is an ongoing operation to disrupt the illegal tobacco trade in Gravesend and tackle organised crime. Over the two days I used five specialist detection dogs to support the operation.

“Without the dogs, there would have been no results, the dogs were the major players in this two-day operation.”

During the operation, one of Stuarts dogs, Bran, indicated there was tobacco behind some tiling in a basement. Officers removed this false panel and found that a tunnel had been dug through to the basement of the adjoining shop.

Inside the tunnel officers found more than 148,000 cigarettes and 1,315 pouches of tobacco, the largest single seizure that team had secured.

“Bran the tobacco detection dog discovered a secret tunnel containing hundreds of thousands of smuggled cigarettes and pouches of tobacco. Without Bran, it would never have been found,” Stuart said.

The following day, officers found a chute behind a counter in another shop, thanks to BWY Canine, following it up to a second floor flat above the shop.

Fellow BWY Canine dog Yoyo gave the indication there was tobacco inside so officers forced entry, finding 58,900 illicit cigarettes and 135 pouches of tobacco hidden behind magnetic concealments inside three false walls.

“On day two, Yoyo identified a room in a block of flats being used to store illegal tobacco. The cigarettes were hidden in specially constructed walls within a bedroom, which was on the second floor in a building. In the same bedroom there was a chute which was used to drop the illegal cigarettes to the shop on the ground floor.

“Cooper the tobacco dog (fox red lab) actually found the chute exit in the shop because a pack of cigarettes was stuck in the chute. Again, none of these finds would have been possible without the dogs.”

Inspector James Beautridge of North Kent’s Community Safety Unit said: ‘The results from these two days shows just how prevalent this issue is, and the lengths to which some shop owners will go in order to hide these products and avoid detection.”

During the operation illegal vapes were also seized and fines were issued for immigration offences.

Stuart and the BWY Canine dogs have been assisting Trading Standards, Police and Customs to disrupt organised crime and tackle illegal tobacco in the UK for a decade now, gaining a reputation amongst law enforcement agencies for providing tobacco and cash detection dogs that get results.

“Over the past 10 years I have worked with over 100 Trading Standards teams and 20 police services, supporting them with specialist tobacco and cash detection dogs.

“In a routine five-day week, myself and the dogs will carry out between 20 and 35 searches of shops, houses and other locations suspected of being involved in the sale and distribution of illegal tobacco.”

Detection dogs

In total, five detection dogs used over the two days.

Cooper – Tobacco dog – Fox Red Lab

Maggie – Cash Dog – Cocker with pink collar

Yoyo – Tobacco Dog – Cocker Spaniel

Bran – Tobacco Dog – Cocker Spaniel

Griff – Toobacco Dog – Liver and white Springer Spaniel

Yoyo indicated on the door to the flat above the shop New Road Groceries.

Maggie found criminal cash in black rucksack at rear of one shop on Milton Road.

Cooper found concealment in Smart Shop yesterday. Cooper also found concealment in New Road Groceries today.

Bran found the tunnel yesterday in Queen Street shop.

Griff worked hard but didn’t find anything unfortunately.

Community

Carmarthenshire man missing in Thailand: Last seen on Phi Phi Island

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A 26-year-old man has been reported missing in Thailand after his family lost contact with him more than eight weeks ago.

Daniel Davies was last seen on March 13 on Phi Phi Island, a popular tourist destination in southern Thailand. He had been staying at the Hangover Hostel in Bangkok prior to his disappearance.

A missing person report has been filed with Dyfed-Powys Police, and the case is now listed under reference number DP-20250329-215.

Daniel is described as being around 6ft tall, of slim build, with blonde hair and a beard. He also has tattoo sleeves on both arms.

Missing: Daniel Davies

Echoes of the Lost – a national missing persons initiative – has now joined the appeal alongside SARS Cymru, urging anyone with information to come forward. In a statement, they said: “Daniel, if you happen to see this post, please get in contact with your family. They are worried. If you wish to message us to pass information along, please feel free to do so.”

His aunt, Nicola Doran, has been sharing emotional appeals online, writing: “My nephew Daniel Davies, 26, from Llanelli – he’s gone missing in Bangkok, Thailand. He’s been reported and is now a missing person. No one has had any contact in weeks.”

Friends and family have been spreading the appeal across social media, hoping someone in Thailand may have seen him. One post reads: “Can all my mates out in Thailand, Bangkok area, please share this and keep eyes out for my lil’ kuzen – he’s been missing 8 weeks over there.”

Daniel’s disappearance has been reported to Thai police, and the UK Foreign Office is understood to be aware of the case.

Anyone with information is urged to contact Dyfed-Powys Police by emailing 101@dyfed-powys.police.uk or calling 101, quoting reference DP-20250329-215.

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Farming

Nonsense to base farm funding on population, says union

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FARMERS in Wales have warned that changes to the way agricultural support is calculated could see them lose millions in future funding, as allocations move from a needs-based system to one based on population size.

The Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) has criticised the shift, branding the move “nonsense” and “concerning,” arguing it fails to reflect the reality that Wales has more farms per head than England.

Under the former EU model, funding was distributed based on need. However, from 2025-26, support for Welsh farmers will be included in the Welsh Government’s overall budget and determined by the Barnett formula—a population-based mechanism.

Guto Bebb, Chief Executive of the FUW, told BBC Radio Wales: “This latest decision is very concerning because if there is any future increase in farm funding, Wales will be allocated a population-based 5.2% rather than the 9.2% share we previously received based on need.”

The change, announced in the UK Budget last October, has raised alarm bells among the farming community. Mr Bebb urged farmers and unions to ensure that politicians in Cardiff remain committed to backing what he described as a “crucial part of the rural economy.”

The First Minister, Eluned Morgan, had already voiced similar concerns earlier this year, warning the Welsh Affairs Committee in Westminster that the new model could leave Wales short-changed. “When it comes to agriculture, we should be significantly higher than 5%,” she said.

Despite the concerns, both the UK Treasury and Welsh Government have insisted the new settlement will benefit Welsh agriculture.

A spokesperson for HM Treasury said: “The Welsh Government is receiving over 20% more per person than the equivalent UK government spending in England. This translates to over £4 billion more in 2025-26. The full amount of agricultural funding from 2024-25 has been baselined into this settlement.”

Meanwhile, the Welsh Government said it welcomes having full discretion over agricultural support spending and confirmed that more than £366 million has been allocated this year—an increase from the previous year when farm funding was still ringfenced.

However, farming leaders remain sceptical, warning that the shift could jeopardise livelihoods in rural communities if funding does not continue to reflect the true scale and nature of Wales’ agricultural sector.

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Farming

Bird flu restrictions lifted after major outbreak in Shropshire

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BIRD FLU restrictions requiring poultry and captive birds to be housed indoors in part of Shropshire have been lifted.

The measures were introduced in January following an outbreak of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) at Griffiths Family Farms, part of Oakland Farm Eggs, near Wem.

A 3km protection zone and a wider 10km surveillance zone were established around the site. The surveillance zone extended into the Wrexham local authority area.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) confirmed that disease control measures have now been completed. The area previously within the protection zone is now part of the surveillance zone only.

Around one million hens had to be culled at the site—one of the largest poultry farms in the UK—after the virus was detected in the flock.

Under protection zone rules, all poultry and captive birds must be kept indoors. Surveillance zone rules require premises to keep records of all poultry and egg movements in and out of the area.

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