**Selfies with Cash and Cocaine Seal Fate of Newport Brothers and Associate in Drug Plot**
Three men from Newport, including two brothers, have been handed prison sentences after a police investigation uncovered their involvement in a large-scale cocaine supply racket. Their criminal enterprise was ultimately brought to light through a trove of incriminating images and messages found on their mobile phones, which included selfies posing with bundles of cash and suspicious white powder—undoing any attempts to evade law enforcement scrutiny.
Kaine Peterson, 26, his younger brother Kurtis Peterson, 19, and their associate Ryan Beirne, 31, were closely monitored by Gwent Police, who discovered their conspiracy to distribute class A drugs across the area. According to reports from Cardiff Crown Court, the trio operated between September 2024 and February 2025. The investigation came to a head following the recovery of almost 100g of cocaine, with an estimated street value exceeding £9,500, during coordinated police raids.
Key to exposing the operation were a series of text messages sent by Kurtis Peterson. Prosecutors revealed that Kurtis would routinely send so-called ‘text bombs’ advertising the sale of cocaine to prospective buyers, often communicating with Kaine Peterson to orchestrate drug drops and collect cash at various locations. The pattern of these digital communications played a significant role in building the case against the men.
Detailed analysis of mobile phone data placed all three defendants in the vicinity of addresses on Lime Crescent, Newport, supporting suspicions that this area served as the nerve centre for their activities. Ryan Beirne was found to be storing large quantities of cocaine at his home—an allegation reinforced by video and photo evidence retrieved from their devices. In these media files, the trio could be seen either handling what appeared to be cocaine or displaying considerable sums of money.
Further damning evidence emerged from phone records and intercepted messages. For example, Kaine Peterson’s phone revealed a habitual pattern of drug promotion, supplemented by offers to buy contact lists from other dealers. On at least one occasion, Kurtis Peterson offered to purchase details of a known cocaine user for the sum of £300. These correspondences, along with the images, left little room for doubt in the eyes of investigating officers.
The arrests were executed in swift succession after police secured enough evidence. At Kurtis Peterson’s home, officers seized several bags containing white powder, scales, and cash, with his girlfriend present during the search. Elsewhere, Ryan Beirne was found desperately attempting to flush drugs down a toilet, but police recovered 6.7g of cocaine, alongside incriminating paraphernalia. Kaine Peterson was later apprehended while travelling by car in Caerphilly.
The combined weight of cocaine seized from all involved totalled nearly 99g. During court proceedings, all three men pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply a controlled drug. They are no strangers to the legal system; Beirne’s record lists dangerous driving and grievous bodily harm, while Kaine Peterson has faced prior accusations related to drug offences. The youngest, Kurtis, had no previous convictions and his barrister argued he had become involved to pay off a cannabis debt whilst dealing with personal difficulties, such as bereavement and family breakdown.
Legal representation for Beirne and Kaine Peterson painted pictures of individuals burdened by personal loss and financial hardship. Both were said to have suffered the loss of a grandmother, an event said to have deeply affected them. Beirne’s counsel added that a violent attack had left him anxious, pushing him towards drug use and subsequent criminal activity. Meanwhile, Kaine faced a lingering drug debt of £5,000.
Ultimately, the severity of their offences saw each man receive significant custodial sentences. Kurtis Peterson was ordered to serve 52 months in a young offenders institution, Kaine Peterson received a 68-month sentence, and Ryan Beirne was handed 72 months in prison. The case, which highlights the increasingly sophisticated nature of drug operations—and the role of digital evidence in securing convictions—serves as a stark reminder that becoming involved in such criminal activity carries serious and lasting consequences.
Police involved in the case stressed that such convictions underline the value of proactive investigation and community cooperation in tackling the supply of dangerous substances on local streets. As law enforcement continues to face the evolving challenge of drug crime, this case stands as a timely warning to others who believe their illicit digital footprints can remain hidden.