Police on the raid
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TEN men have been sentenced after a travellers' camp in Merthyr Tydfil was turned into a giant cannabis plantation.
As many as half of the 24 caravans at the camp were used as cover for a sophisticated drugs-growing operation worth up to £340,000 a year.
Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court heard the men who set up the giant plantation all claimed it was for their personal use.
Their Glynmill Gypsy and Traveller Site had £3m in grants for improvements including community hall, toilet blocks and landscaping from the Welsh Government.
Police recovered 453 plants, including a mother plant from which all other plants were grown. The drugs were in 12 of the 24 plots on the site which was home for up to 120 people.
Armed officers including the National Crime Agency mounted Operation Red Lava and riot police and horses were used in the swoop to uncover the cannabis growing in caravans.
More than 100 officers and 30 vehicles were used.
The 10 denied it was part of a commercial "farm" enterprise to sell cannabis - and instead claimed the cannabis was for their own personal use.
Prosecutor Ieuan Morris: "In the raid on the three acre site in February last year they discovered cannabis plants being grown with sophisticated hydroponic systems.
"Cannabis plants of various stages of growth were recovered as was the paraphernalia associated with large scale production.
"They entered their pleas on the basis that they were individually involved for their own purpose and not aware of any other goings on on the site.
"There is an element of commercial supply, not just for personal use.
"The overall potential worth was between £90,000 - £340,000, and 453 cannabis plants were recovered."
Andrew Jakes, 37, Adam Jones, 24, Barry Jones, 34, Brinnie Mochan, 19, Peter Gilheaney, 18, Steven Francis Gilheaney, 34, Martin Gilheaney, 27, and Peter Patrick Gilheaney, 37, all from the Glynmill camp, admitted conspiracy to produce cannabis and cannabis production.
Steven Gilheany was sentenced to six months and Martin and Peter Gilheaney to eight months.
Judge Richard Twomlow said: "It may be that the whole truth regarding the growing of this cannabis on the site will never truly be known.
"Your offending is so serious that only a prison sentence can be justified."
The remaining five were given 12 month suspended sentences of six months to eight months.
Another two - Edward Probert, 28, of Pontypool, Gwent, and William Williams, 20, of Merthyr Tydfil - also pleaded guilty to the same charges.
Probert received a conditional discharge and Williams was given a five month sentence in a youth rehabilitation order, both suspended for 12 months.
Another four living at the site were cleared when their trial collapsed because the businessman who owns the camp refused to give evidence in court.
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Owner Craig William Bennett was awarded the £3 million from the Welsh Government in three grants between 2011 and 2014 to improve the camp with three toilets blocks, a community hall and a school at the site.
The court heard Bennett then rented the site back to the local council who provided the camp for the travellers.
Bennett was due to be a key witness in the trial but failed to appear at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court and wrote to the prosecution saying he was not going to come.
The father-of-four refused to take the stand in court after being called as a witness, but he was then prosecuted for contempt of court after the trial collapsed.
He was fined £500 for contempt of court by the judge.
Read more at http://www.southwales-eveningpost.co.uk/8203-travellers-camp-turned-out-to-be-340k-cannabis-farm/story-30098200-detail/story.html#O3ToOO1bxHIxDrGQ.99
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