A convicted gang leader who orchestrated a major cocaine trafficking operation across south Wales has been ordered to pay back just £28,000, despite his vast criminal profits exceeding half a million pounds. The figure emerged from a Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) hearing at Cardiff Crown Court, following the sentencing of Jamie Webber, 35, and several associates linked to a conspiracy to distribute substantial quantities of Class A drugs.
Webber, notoriously captured on police cameras smirking during his arrest, was found to have benefited by an estimated £570,338 from his illegal activities. Yet authorities were only able to identify and seize assets totalling £28,782. Judge Eugene Egan presided over the recent POCA hearing and warned Webber he must repay this sum within three months or face an additional two-year prison term if he defaults.
The court previously heard how Webber, along with co-defendant Said Khan, also 35, headed an organised criminal group operating a lucrative ‘drugs line’ across Newport, Cwmbran, and Pontypool. The pair enlisted Michael Cornwall, 43, Alexa Cronin, 42, and Sinead Carey, 24, to distribute cocaine directly to users on the streets. Another associate, Nabeela Kaid, 36, was also implicated in the operation.
Gwent Police initiated Operation Biggin, a months-long investigation that ultimately dismantled the network. Multiple properties in Newport were searched under warrant, resulting in the seizure of 15 mobile phones and various items of evidence instrumental in securing convictions against the defendants.
All six admitted their involvement in the conspiracy to supply cocaine and received sentences at Cardiff Crown Court earlier this year. Webber received a 10-year custodial sentence, while Cornwall was jailed for five years and Kaid for three years and four months. Cronin and Carey were given 28 months and a suspended sentence respectively, with Said Khan sentenced to eight years’ imprisonment.
Detective Chief Inspector Matthew Edwards of Gwent Police praised the investigative team’s dedication, commenting, “Operation Biggin was an extensive and thorough process, relying on meticulous work from our data analysts and digital forensic experts. Without their expertise, bringing these individuals to justice would have been far more challenging.” He added, “Illegal drugs wreak misery and fear in our neighbourhoods, and those responsible for such harm chase only profit, regardless of the misery they inflict.”
The sum ordered for repayment highlights the difficulties faced by law enforcement in tracking down illicit gains, often laundered or hidden by criminal enterprises. While the court ruling may seem modest compared to the estimated earnings, it underscores ongoing challenges in asset recovery and the necessity for persistent investigative work.
Community leaders and justice campaigners have called for continued vigilance to ensure that those involved in serious organised crime are held financially accountable where possible. However, as this case demonstrates, recovering the full proceeds of crime remains a complex and often frustrating aspect of the justice process.
Anyone with information about similar criminal activity is encouraged to contact their local law enforcement or utilise anonymous reporting channels, as police stress the continuing importance of public cooperation.
The case sends a broader message about the scale and sophistication of organised drug crime in Wales, but also illustrates the concerted effort required across police, prosecution, and courts to disrupt these groups and recover ill-gotten gains, however limited the recovery may be in some cases.