THREE Newport men were locked up for almost 12 years between them for their roles in a £500,000 drugs conspiracy.

Cardiff Crown Court heard two of them were stopped by police as they drove £109,000 worth of heroin from Cardiff to Newport to be delivered to the third.

Rodney Turner, 43, Christopher Przyborowski, 20, and Mark Wainfur, 23, were locked up along with six co-conspirators for what prosecutor Ieuan Morris described as "an organised crime group based in Cardiff, responsible for facilitating the transportation and distribution of cocaine and heroin throughout South Wales" between April 2010 and February 2011.

Mr Morris told the court drugs involved in this conspiracy were worth around £500,00 on the street.

Turner, of Laburnum Drive and Wainfur, of Palm Square, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin. Przyborowski, of Laburnum Drive, denied it but was convicted at trial.

Mr Morris said on October 13, Turner and Przyborowski drove to Cardiff where they met Raymond Legall and Tufial Akthar.

They picked up just under 1kg of heroin and made their back to Newport along the coast road where they were stopped and arrested.

Police had become aware of the gang's activity and set up surveillance to monitor the key players. The court heard the drugs came to South Wales from London before being distributed across the region.

Robert Duvall, for Wainfur, said he was just "another person through whose hands the drugs would have passed" and was basically a courier.

Defending Turner, Stephen Thomas said his only involvement was that of a courier and following a heart attack and triple bypass, he holds extremely negative views towards drugs.

Claire Pickthall, for Przyborowski, said her client had a limited role and had no contact with with anyone "higher up."

Wainfur was jailed for six years and nine months, Turner for two. Przyborowski was given three years in a young offenders' institution.

The nine-strong gang were locked up for a total of 52 years and two months for their roles in what judge Christopher Llewellyn-Jones described as the "cancer" on society which is the drugs trade.

THE OTHER SENTENCES WERE: Raymond Legall, 40, Watkins Square, Cardiff. Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin. Jailed for 12 years concurrent on each.

Gjergj Shullani, 34, Merthyr Street, Cardiff. Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine. Given five years and four months.

Tufial Akthar, 28, Llandough Street, Cardiff. Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply heroin. Given eight years and three months.

Trevor Deen, 35, Hillside, Cardiff. Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine. Jailed for six years.

Steven Brown, 27, William Street, Abertridwr. Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine. Jailed for four years and four months.

Luke Tajul, 24, Rennie Street, Cardiff. Pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine. Jailed for four years and six months