**Teenager Found Hiding with Knife and Drugs as Police Raid Pembrokeshire Home**
A teenager was discovered concealing himself in a bedroom alongside a large knife during a police operation at a property in Pembrokeshire, a court has heard. Officers from Dyfed-Powys Police executed the raid, approaching the address on Howarth Close, Milford Haven, from the rear. Upon entering, they located Kaleb Thomas, then aged 19, secreted next to a sheath knife.
During their search, law enforcement uncovered a significant haul of illegal substances within the property. Officers seized around 165 grams of cannabis, as well as a smaller stash of cocaine. Supplementary evidence found at the scene included weighing scales and a mobile phone containing text conversations indicative of drug dealing activity, disclosed prosecutor Craig Jones during court proceedings.
At an earlier court appearance in late July, Thomas admitted to possessing cannabis with the intent to supply. He further entered a guilty plea to a charge relating to criminal property, referring to the discovery of £2,470 in cash during the police search. Although cocaine was present on site, he did not face prosecution for possession with intent to supply that substance.
Records outlined Thomas’s previous entanglements with the law. The court heard that he has earlier convictions – specifically, three offences that include previous involvement in the supply of Class A drugs and possession of illicitly obtained funds. At the time of sentencing, Thomas, now 20, took part in the hearing via video link from a youth detention centre in Swansea, where he is currently serving a three-year sentence. His existing sentence stems from his role in the supply of cocaine and cannabis in the local area earlier this year.
Representing Thomas, defence counsel David Singh stated that the defendant’s father harbours aspirations for his son’s rehabilitation. There was hope that, upon completion of his custodial term, Thomas might secure lawful employment with his father.
Presiding over the hearing at Swansea Crown Court, Judge Huw Rees delivered a further sentence of six months’ immediate custody, which will be served consecutively to the term Thomas is already serving. In his remarks, Judge Rees expressed the court’s stern disapproval regarding involvement in the drugs trade, stating: “I hope you learn a lesson from this and put these matters behind you. There is no hope for anyone who gets involved in the supply of Class A drugs or cannabis.”
This latest case highlights continuing concerns about drug-related crime in communities across Pembrokeshire and Wales more broadly. Law enforcement officials continue to urge residents to come forward with information related to drug activity, reassuring the public that robust action will be taken against those supplying illegal substances.
The case also brings attention to the wider issues of youth involvement in drugs, the risks posed by carrying knives, and the challenges faced by families hoping to steer young people away from criminal activity. Local agencies and support workers often stress the importance of early intervention and community support as crucial factors in preventing reoffending and fostering rehabilitation.
As local courts handle a growing number of similar cases, the message from the judiciary remains unequivocal: the supply of drugs, whether Class A or cannabis, is met with tough custodial sentences. Public officials continue to work closely with police and social services to tackle the root causes of drug-related crime and offer routes to reform for offenders like Thomas.