Vietnamese drugs gang leaders jailed for more than 50 years

Two men from Gwent were among the 21 bosses involved in a conspiracy dating back to 2017 after dozens of cannabis factories were uncovered across the region and beyond.

Khanh Van Pham, from Newport, had claimed to be 14-years-old, but police proved he was actually aged 26.

Khanh Van Pham

He was jailed for four years and 10 months at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court.

Tuan Van Doan, aged 33, of Caerphilly, was jailed for two years for his role in the drugs empire.

An investigation into a cannabis factory in the Cynon Valley led officers from South Wales Police's Force Intelligence and Organised Crime Unit (FIOCU) to a string of others across the South Wales, Gwent and Dyfed-Powys force areas.

Tuan Van Doan

The gang, all from Vietnam, were arrested as part of Operation Violet Panama, which saw the three police forces and the National Crime Agency raid 19 addresses in November 2017.

In addition to 15 cannabis factories, the investigation led to the detection of more than 30 further factories and storage facilities across Wales and as far afield as Coventry, all linked to the gang.

One of the suspects being arrested by armed officers

During hearings at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court, 19 defendants pleaded guilty to conspiracy to produce a class B drug of cannabis while two people were found guilty by a jury and two others were acquitted.

The court heard that the "industrial-scale" operation was expected to have netted the leaders of the gang somewhere in the region of £25m, with much of the proceeds sent back to Vietnam.

A total of £23,000 in cash was seized

The others sentenced were:

• Bang Xuan Luong, 44, of Aberdare – Eight years

• Lan Dinh, 38, of Llanelli – Four years, two months

• Tran Van Giang, 32, of Aberdare – Three years

Police carried out 17 raids

• Quang Lam, 34, of Llanelli – Five years

• Toan Van Nguyen, 39, of Aberdare – Four years, nine months

• Hiue Quang Pham, 29, of Cardiff – Two years

• Pham Quang Hai (formerly Long Pham), 19, from Ceredigion – Two years, three months

Police tracked the operation to more than 40 premises across south Wales and as far as Coventry

• Tuan Anh Pham, 20, of Aberdare – Five years

• Vu Thi Thu Thuy, 41, of Aberdare – Six years

• Trang Thanh Tran, 37, of Llanelli – Two years, suspended for 12 months

• Van Lang Tran, 24, of Cardiff – Two years

• Xuan Le Truong, 31, of Cardiff – Two years

• Doan Duc Vu, 40, of Llanelli – Four years

• Dung Phu Vu, 35, of Aberdare – Two years, four months

• Dung Van Vu, 27, of Rhondda – Five years, five months

• Ngocbao Vu, 22, of Aberdare – Six years, five months

• Toan Van Vu, 52, of Cardiff – Three years, six months

• Khuong Van Luong, 35, of Cardiff – Two years

• Vu Phung Luu, 19, from Aberdare – Two years, eight months.

The majority of the defendants, including those found not guilty, will be deported on completion of their sentences.

Those whose length of sentence was served while on remand have already been deported.