In a twist more suited to a thriller than reality, a so-called ‘removal man’ found himself in hot water when his van was found packed not with furniture, but with an astonishing stash of cannabis!
After nosy locals reported suspicious goings-on at a vape shop in Gowerton, the police swooped into action. Their target? A van that seemed to be making a swift getaway back to London with a load far more valuable than second-hand sofas.
As police closed in, a dramatic pursuit unfolded. The occupants ditched the van in Tredegar Park and made a run for it, but they didn’t get far! One was seen “jogging across a car park, sweating bullets and covered in mud.” With the help of the community and their sharp eyes on the suspicious van’s plate number, police caught up with Paulo Dias, Bobby Batchelor, and a younger accomplice before they could fully disappear.
In court, it emerged the gang was on a ‘removal job’—but instead of helping someone move, they were shifting £90,000 worth of cannabis plants! Dias, already familiar to the courts, admitted the plot after being led astray by a pal’s offer of easy money. Batchelor, too, was no stranger to the law, with a record of drug offences.
For their troubles, Dias received an 18-week jail term while Batchelor got nine months—suspended, as long as he keeps his nose clean and puts in 150 hours of community service. The arrest of a minor in connection with the case has also been handled separately.
This gripping tale reminds us all that crime certainly doesn’t pay, and sometimes those „removal jobs“ involve more than just an annoying sofa!
What a story, right? Remember, always keep an eye out; you never know what’s in the van next door!