Crime
Organised crime group members get 25 years prison plus suspended sentences

MEMBERS of a South Wales Organised Crime Group (OCG) which sold illegal tobacco, cigarettes and Nitrous Oxide while money-laundering more than £1.5m were sentenced today to a total of 25 years of immediate imprisonment and 9 years as suspended sentences, at Swansea Crown Court.
All eleven members of the OCG initially pleaded not guilty to a fraud in excess of £1.8m carried out between September 6, 2013, and February 5, 2022.
But during an initial trial three defendants changed their plea to guilty part way through, and two more defendants pleaded guilty during a second trial in which the remaining six defendants were found guilty of fraud by unanimous verdict.
Four members of the criminal organisation were also found guilty of money laundering offences to the value of more than £1.5million.
During the investigation, officers from Cardiff, and Bridgend and Vale councils’ Shared Regulatory Services (SRS) seized £600,000 of illegal tobacco, based on market cost, along with £12,500 worth of Nitrous Oxide cannisters.
The operation against the gang began in February 2020, following intelligence that several shops in the South Wales area were selling illegal tobacco and Nitrous Oxide. Significant amounts of cigarettes and tobacco were seized initially, but the shops appeared to restock immediately, and continued to sell the illegal products to the local community, including children.
The criminal group operated their business from at least seven shops in South Wales, most were in Cardiff but shops in Barry and Bridgend were also used including:
- Best European Food Ltd, Clifton Street, Cardiff
- Laz Mini Market. Clifton Street, Cardiff
- Barry Stores, Tynewydd Road, Barry
- European Shop, Holton Road, Barry
- World and Food Ltd, Holton Road, Barry
- Apna Bazaar Bridgend Ltd, Dunraven Place, Bridgend
- European Mini Market, Tudor Street, Cardiff.
The gang used the shops as a front, appearing to sell genuine products and other legitimate produce, but in fact, an intricate subterfuge was being carried out with flats above the shops and other hidden spaces used to hide huge amounts of illegal tobacco which was being sold to customers.
The court heard that at a conservative estimate, each shop was making approximately £1000 a day from selling illegal tobacco and Nitrous Oxide, with the total value of illegal sales estimated at £3.8m.
Some of the illegal tobacco was stored in Safestore units or in the defendant’s homes, with the tobacco and cigarettes being moved in cars with blacked out windows to the shops and the flats above late at night or in the early hours of the morning.
The illegal tobacco was often stored in large, concealed spaces in the shops or the flats. Powerful, remote controlled, electric magnets were used to unlock these spaces which were invisible to the human eye and only found by using sniffer dogs and by breaking through walls.
Other techniques the gang used to deliver their products included electric winches and plastic tubes linking the shop with the flat above, with tobacco being passed down a tube when a customer made a purchase.
Helen Picton, Head of shared Regulatory Services said: “Searches and test purchases at all seven shops resulted in £600,000 of illegal tobacco taken off the streets of South Wales. This is a mere fraction of the criminality in this case, as it doesn’t consider any cigarettes or tobacco that were sold by the criminal gang.
“Although they thought they were operating with impunity, what they didn’t know is that they were being monitored and as the two trials showed, there was overwhelming evidence for the juries to find them guilty of these offences. It was clear from the investigation that they believed they were entitled to carry out their fraudulent business and showed little remorse.
“‘Illegal tobacco does great harm in the community. Its cheapness and ease of supply are particularly attractive to young people and others on lower incomes, and it eliminates the price incentive for existing smokers to quit the habit. I’m delighted to see the successful conclusion of this long and extended investigation. Offenders need to know that they will face consequences if they choose to deal in these illegal products.”
Sergeant Jake Rollnick from South Wales Police said: “Officers from Cardiff and Vale Neighbourhood Policeing Teams worked closely alongside the Shared Regulatory Services and other government agencies in bringing these offenders to justice over a period of 18 months. It consisted of multiple warrants and intervention and just goes to show what we can achieve in partnership”.
Ten members of the OCG listed below were sentenced for carrying out a ‘business for a fraudulent purpose’ to the value of £1.8 million between September 6, 2013, until February 5, 2022. An eleventh, Karwan Mohammadi, was sentenced for the same offence, but over a shorter period of time, between January 7th, 2020, and February 25th, 2022. The sentence for each defendant is given below:
- Ali Khaleel Hassan Aldarawish, 34, from Albany Road, Roath, Cardiff, was sentenced to 7 years imprisonment.
- Shwan Kamal Sofizada, 32, from Caeglass Road, Rumney, Cardiff, was sentenced to 6 years imprisonment.
- Abdulla Laksari, 37, from Alice Street, Butetown, Cardiff, was sentenced to 6 years imprisonment.
- Farhard (Farman) Sofizadeh, 32, from High Street, Barry, was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment.
- Saman Abobakir Sedik, 45, from High View Bridgend, was sentenced to 3 years imprisonment.
- Karwan Mohammadi, 31, from Canton Court, Riverside, Cardiff, was sentenced to 2 years suspended for 12 months with an unpaid work requirement of 150 hours of unpaid work.
- Mariwam Mohammed, 38, from Gold Street, Adamsdown, Cardiff, was sentenced to 19 months imprisonment suspended for 12 months with 150 hours unpaid work and a 10-day rehabilitation requirement.
- Aiysha Bibi, 24, from High Street, Barry, was sentenced to 2 years imprisonment suspended for 18 months with a 20-day rehabilitation requirement.
- Rebin Hatam Ahmed, 32, from Drayton Street, Walsall, was sentenced to 19 months suspended for 12 months with unpaid work requirement of 100 hours and a 10-day rehabilitation requirement.
- Alan Abdullah, 23, from Fleetwood Road, Leicester, was sentenced to 2 years suspended for 12 months with 100 hours of unpaid work and a 10-day rehabilitation requirement.
Crime
Carmarthenshire kidnap victim speaks out: ‘I thought I was going to die’

THE MUSIC producer lured to West Wales and brutally assaulted in a staged kidnap plot has spoken publicly for the first time, telling The Guardian of the terror he faced and the long road to recovery.
Itay Kashti, 45, was beaten, handcuffed, and left bleeding in a remote cottage in Carmarthenshire in August 2024, after being tricked into travelling from London for what he believed was a professional music camp. He said he feared he would never see his wife or children again.

“I thought: ‘This is it. I’m going to die and this is the end of my story.’ I felt it was the final scene from a movie. I was thinking about my children,” he told The Guardian’s Steven Morris in an emotional interview.
Three men – Faiz Shah and Mohammad Comrie, both 22, and Elijah Ogunnubi-Sime, 20 – were each sentenced last week to eight years and one month in custody after admitting kidnap at Swansea Crown Court.
The court heard the group deliberately targeted Mr Kashti because they believed he was wealthy and, according to the judge, possibly because of his Jewish heritage. “I was stigmatised and dehumanised,” said Mr Kashti. “The assumption was that a rich Jew lives in London, works in music, he must have money.”
He described how the men had posed as representatives of a music label and invited him to a songwriting camp in Wales. At first, the offer seemed legitimate. “They sounded a little bit green but they didn’t sound suspicious in any way,” he said. “The arrangement was that they would send a car to pick me up. They did mention I didn’t have to bring anything, but I took my Martin acoustic guitar.”
Upon entering the cottage in Llanybydder, he was ambushed. “Three guys, all masked, jumped at me and started hitting and kicking me on the head,” he said. “They said they were going to kill me. They chained me, handcuffed me to a pipe that came out of the radiator.”
Bloodied and terrified, he lay on the floor trying to make sense of what had happened and why. “I live a peaceful life and I’m not a political person. There was no reason to go for a person like myself.”
He later learned the attackers had panicked and fled. Using sheer determination, Mr Kashti freed himself, grabbed his phone – and his guitar – and escaped. “I didn’t want to leave the guitar. I dragged it along,” he said, showing bloodstains still visible on the case.
He hid in bushes and called his wife and police. Officers arrived within 20 minutes and launched a major operation, eventually finding the three men hiding in fields nearby. The response included a helicopter and specialist search teams.
Mr Kashti, originally from Israel and now a UK citizen, was left with serious facial injuries. His eyes were so swollen that he said he looked like a boxer after a brutal match. Doctors in Wales and at Moorfields Eye Hospital in London helped with his physical recovery.
But the emotional scars are taking longer to heal. “We all have a safety bubble. And that safety bubble has been burst for me,” he said. “When new people reach out, I have to be more vigilant. I’m more conscious of trouble that could emerge, danger that could happen. I guess it’s going to take me some time until I feel fully settled.”
Mr Kashti said most people didn’t know what he had been through. “You can’t just break it in a conversation and move on.”
Despite everything, he holds no hatred for his attackers. “I hope that the jail experience will turn them into better people. If they do turn into better people, then it was worth locking them up.”
His bravery in speaking out has been praised by supporters, including members of the Community Security Trust (CST), who have supported him since the attack. Police have also recognised his strength throughout the investigation and trial process.
The Herald understands the gang hoped to extort a million-pound ransom, though the plot quickly unravelled. The case has shocked both the music industry and the wider community, with many calling for greater awareness of the risks posed by online impersonation and targeted hate crimes.
Crime
Hakin drug dealer caught twice in two counties

A PEMBROKESHIRE man who was caught dealing cocaine, cannabis and nitrous oxide in Hampshire was arrested again months later after crashing an e-bike in Milford Haven.
Justin Cadwell, aged 28, of Picton Close, Hakin, appeared before Swansea Crown Court on multiple drug charges committed in both Winchester and Milford Haven.
Cadwell admitted possession with intent to supply cocaine, cannabis resin, and nitrous oxide, as well as two counts of possession with intent to supply cannabis, all relating to an incident in Winchester on August 8 last year. He also admitted possession of ketamine, although he denied intent to supply it.
He further pleaded guilty to possessing criminal property – £25.3k in cash – on the same date, and to being concerned in the supply of cannabis between December 1, 2023, and August 9, 2024.
Cadwell was later involved in a crash on an e-bike at Hakin Point, Milford Haven, at around 7:00pm on March 1. His passenger was airlifted to hospital following the collision with a wall.
Police arrested Cadwell at the scene and later charged him with possession with intent to supply cocaine and cannabis. He denied possessing £588.63 in cash as criminal property, but the prosecution confirmed no trial would be sought on that charge. Cadwell also admitted riding the e-bike without insurance.
Judge Paul Thomas KC adjourned sentencing until April 11. Cadwell has been remanded in custody until that date.
Crime
Over 120 Carmarthenshire people identified as ‘money mules’ in fraud probe

More than 120 people in Carmarthenshire, mostly living in the Llanelli area have handed over their personal bank details to criminals involved in money laundering in exchange for financial gifts.
Economic Crime Team officers from Dyfed-Powys Police identified the individuals as part of an ongoing criminal investigation and issued notices advising them to stop the activity immediately or face prosecution.
Throughout February, the team visited people who had been linked with a suspected fraudster, as part of Operation Henhouse – a month-long nationwide clampdown on fraud offences.
On speaking to those involved, officers learned how the individuals opened online bank accounts using their personal information and identification and gave their account login details to criminals in return for cash, who then used their bank accounts to launder money obtained through crime.
The team offered safeguarding advice and warned them about the dangers of opening bank accounts to be used by someone else for criminal activity.
Many were unaware of the implications of what they had done and thought it was an easy way to make some money. Some were given financial gifts ranging from £50 to £200, while others were promised money but did not receive it.
Dyfed-Powys Police Fraud Investigator Sian Stevens said: “Through intelligence, we were made aware of a fraudster who recruited a number of people in the Llanelli area to open bank accounts, which were then subsequently used for money laundering purposes.
“The Economic Crime Team visited over 120 individuals in February to explain that they had been used as a money mule – this is someone, who has allowed their bank account to be used to send criminal money. We issued them with cease and desist notice to interrupt any further fraud by making sure they were aware what they were doing was a criminal activity.
“Many of the people were linked to each other. Some were family members or in the same friendship groups, ranging from young adults to pensioners. The accounts had been opened as a direct or indirect interaction with the fraudster.
“For example, there were some instances where an individual opened a bank account after contact with the fraudster and then went on to tell their friends, ‘you can earn £50 if you open up a bank account and give the details to this person’ and so on. That was just one of many examples how the fraudster managed to obtain personal bank details.”
Dyfed-Powys Police Economic Crime Team Manager Paul Callard said: “People fall victim to fraud every day and the impact on victims can be devastating, both financially and emotionally.
“They can be taken advantage of by criminals and encouraged to allow their accounts to be used. People should be very careful about who they provide their personal information to.
“We will not tolerate fraudulent activity and will look to tackle criminals at every opportunity.”
How to avoid becoming a victim of fraud
- Always use the ABC of scam awareness. Never Assume or Believe a caller, email or text is genuine. Always Confirm by contacting a trusted relative, friend, your bank’s fraud department or the police to check it is genuine.
- Remember the police will never call you asking you to assist with an investigation by withdrawing cash for them to collect, or requesting to collect your bank card. If you receive a call purporting to be from the police and are unsure it is genuine, ring them back via 101 using a different telephone.
- Avoid clicking on links in emails and text messages from unknown sources, as they are liable to be a scam.
- Always use a strong and separate password for your email address by using three random words.
Do you know what will happen if you are caught allowing criminals to use your bank accounts to money launder?
You could face prosecution and go to prison for up to 14 years.
It will be difficult to get a phone contract.
Your bank accounts will be closed.
You will have problems applying for credit.
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