A judge has begun to sentence cocaine suppliers after the biggest drugs operations ever carried out by Dyfed-Powys police.

The first four defendants were today jailed for a total of 36 years and a further 15 will be sentenced before Friday.

At least four police officers are expected to be commended for “very impressive, intelligent, carefully directed work.”

Swansea crown court heard how gangs in Milford Haven and Swansea linked up with even larger gangs in Liverpool and Manchester to flood the areas with cocaine.

Detectives from west Wales then found themselves investigating a third conspiracy in Scotland.

By the time arrests had finished the gang had run £18.5m worth of cocaine into the south Wales valleys, £67,520 of cocaine into Milford Haven and £286,000 of cocaine and cannabis into Scotland.

Andrew Jones, prosecuting, explained how officers launched Operation Phobos to identify those supplying and selling cocaine from Clydach and later Llanelli.

Ian Michael Edwards, aged 30, was identified as the head of the Liverpool team supplying a gang led by Matthew Roberts, who used “sophisticated” techniques to evade detection.

But police managed to insert a listening probe at a property in Vera Road, Clydach, and incriminating information began flowing in.

Soon the same force launched Operation Pigeon when it became clear that Edwards and others were also supplying Leigh Salter, described in court as the head of an organised crime gang in Milford Haven. Salter was jailed in June for five years and four months.

A third operation was later started when evidence emerged of Edwards sending cocaine and cannabis to Aberdeen.

All three investigations were handled by Dyfed-Powys.

Mr Jones said the conspiracies were widespread and far reaching and involved gangs that were sophisticated and organised.

Members used cheap, throw-away mobile telephones and regularly changed vehicles to confuse police.

Couriers had cover stories and sometimes took along their pet dogs or children while delivering drugs to make it look like they were just out for the day.

Mr Jones said the amounts of money involved were vast—one gang member drove around in an £80,000 Mercedes and bought a £250,000 boat using his bank debit card.

When Edwards was arrested he had £24,000 in cash—but an examination of his mobile showed a photograph of £100,000 in used notes inside a kitchen cupboard.

Edwards, of Abbotts Close, Liverpool, was jailed for 14 years. His right hand man in Liverpool, who cannot be named at this stage, received 10 years and a courier seven years.

Roberts’ sister Emma, aged 34, was jailed for five and a half years. She allowed cocaine to be stored at her home in Clos Burlais, Cwmdu, Swansea.

They had all admitted conspiring to supply cocaine between November 2014 and November 2015.

Judge Thomas told them, “You knew the gamble you were taking. You had to weigh up the advantages and set them against what would happen if you were caught.

“You decided it was a risk worth taking to make a lot of money. You thought your profit was worth the misery that drugs would bring to others.”

Judge Thomas described Edwards as a career criminal.

He said he would deal with police commendations at the end of the sentencing hearings.