Brothers Blaine and Dwaine Mortie are both starting lengthy sentences
More than £21,000 of drugs and £5,000 in cash were hidden in bushes in Cardiff Bay
Two drug-dealing brothers who thought they were 'untouchable' are starting lengthy jail sentences for stashing heroin worth more than £21,000 along a Cardiff Bay footpath.
Head of an organised crime group, Blaine Mortie, 31, was jailed for five after pleading guilty to possessing Class A drugs with intent to supply, South Wales Police said.
His brother Dwaine, 37, was found guilty of the same of offence following a trial at Cardiff Crown Court and was sentenced to three years.
The two were arrested after they were targeted by officers from the Eastern Organised Crime Unit as part of Operation Red Columbia in August 2015.
Acting on intelligence that Blaine Mortie was stashing large quantities of heroin and cutting agents in bushes alongside a footpath near Seager Drive, officers were able to evidence him attending the area to recover the drugs and hide new stock over a period of weeks.
On September 11, 2015, the team lay in wait for the brothers, and after Blaine recovered £7,000 worth of heroin while Dwaine acted as a lookout, the two were arrested as they attempted to leave the footpath.
Two mobile phones, which were thrown in to the River Taff by Dwaine Mortie, were later recovered and found to contain evidence linking him to the drug supply business.
Further searches of the area, and of a flat controlled by the brothers, uncovered more than £14,000 worth of heroin, almost £5,000 in cash, large quantities of drugs preparation materials and cutting agents for cocaine.
Investigating Officer DC Sean Harding, said: “This conviction will undoubtedly have a positive impact in the community in Cardiff.
“The Mortie brothers, both originally from the London area, operated a significant heroin supply business in Cardiff.
“Despite his early guilty plea Blaine Mortie has received a substantial prison sentence. Coupled with the sentence handed to Dwaine, we hope this investigation will act as a deterrent to anyone thinking of getting involved in the supply of these harmful drugs and specifically travelling to Cardiff to establish their drugs business.”
DS Dave Bancroft added: “The Morties believed they were untouchable.
“They felt the tactics they employed to frustrate law enforcement would keep them one step ahead of any prosecutions. This clearly wasn’t the case and its satisfying that Blaine Mortie was forced to plead guilty with such over whelming evidence.
“A Mercedes and an Audi were also seized from this group and a proceeds of crime hearing will be held to strip them of any assets.
“We were also successful in having Serious Organised Crime Prevention Orders (SCPO) placed on the brothers, which will put restrictions on them for a further five years following their release from prison. The orders cover things such as where they live, what vehicles they can drive, how much cash and how many phones they can have, and their obligations to inform the police of any changes to those circumstances.
“We will be rigorously checking that they abide by the orders conditions to prevent any further offending.”
http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/drug-dealing-brothers-who-stashed-12196438
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