Key Points
- Nine individuals jailed for over 45 years total for running the ‘MJ’ drug line from Ely, Cardiff, led by Ricardo Brown, 26, of Butetown.
- Operation involved recruiting teenagers and young adults as runners using e-bikes to deliver class A and B drugs across Cardiff and south Wales since 2020.
- Evidence included social media photos of Ricardo Brown, Levi Robson, and Jaydon Watkins posing with rented Lamborghini, videos of cooking crack cocaine, and handling large cash sums.
- Arrests in December 2024 by Cardiff and Vale Organised Crime Unit (Operation Sittella), South Wales Police; all pleaded guilty to drug offences.
- Fatal incident: In June 2020, a first-time heroin buyer from MJ line died within 48 hours from ‘mixed drug toxicity, including heroin’.
- Sentencing at Cardiff Crown Court on 21-22 January 2026: Ricardo Brown (12y 5m), Dylan Stanger (7y 9m), Thomas Haysham (5y 10m), Sam Hatton (5y), Lewis Adams (4y 5m), Ieuan Coombes (3y 8m), Levi Robson (3y 6m), Jaydon Watkins (3y), Stacey Cassemis (2y suspended).
- Detective Chief Inspector Tim Jones, South Wales Police, condemned exploitation of children and called for community vigilance.
Ely, Cardiff (Cardiff Daily) January 24, 2026 – A criminal gang operating the ‘MJ’ drug line from Ely in Cardiff, led by Ricardo Brown, has been dismantled after nine members were jailed for more than 45 years following a major police operation. The group flaunted their lavish lifestyle on social media, including pictures with a rented Lamborghini, which contributed to their downfall amid overwhelming evidence of drug production and supply.
- Key Points
- Who Led the MJ Drug Line in Cardiff?
- What Evidence Sealed the Gang’s Fate?
- How Did the MJ Drug Line Operate Across South Wales?
- Which Other Members Were Jailed and Why?
- What Tragic Consequences Followed the Drug Sales?
- What Did Police Say About the Exploitation of Youth?
- When and Where Did Sentencing Take Place?
- Why Did Social Media Posts Backfire on the Gang?
- What Impact Has Operation Sittella Had?
Who Led the MJ Drug Line in Cardiff?
Ricardo Brown, 26, from Butetown, served as the leader of the organised crime group for four years, as detailed in court proceedings. He pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply class A drugs and received a sentence of 12 years and five months at Cardiff Crown Court.
As reported by Gavin Rutter of Hits Radio South Wales, Dylan Stanger, 25, of Barry, acted as Brown’s right-hand man and was jailed for seven years and nine months after pleading guilty to conspiring to supply class A drugs and involvement in class B drugs.
The operation recruited vulnerable teenagers and young adults as runners, often using e-bikes for deliveries, exploiting them for profit while leaders stayed in the background.
What Evidence Sealed the Gang’s Fate?
Officers from the Cardiff and Vale Organised Crime Unit, part of South Wales Police, gathered extensive evidence during Operation Sittella, including videos of members cooking crack cocaine, weighing drugs, and handling large sums of cash.
One key image from social media showed Ricardo Brown, Levi Robson, and Jaydon Watkins posing outside a rented Lamborghini, demonstrating the enormous cash generated and extravagant lifestyle.
Further images highlighted Brown’s lavish spending, which ultimately aided the investigation leading to arrests in December 2024 and the end of the MJ line.
How Did the MJ Drug Line Operate Across South Wales?
The MJ drug line, active since 2020, primarily targeted Cardiff but extended to other south Wales areas, supplying significant quantities of class A drugs like crack cocaine and heroin, plus class B drugs.
Runners like Sam Hatton, 18, from Ely, handled street-level dealing; Hatton later split to form his own line but pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply class A and B drugs, plus cocaine supply, earning five years.
Ieuan Coombes, 21, from Ely, distributed beyond Cardiff and was jailed for three years and eight months for conspiring to supply class A drugs and cocaine involvement.
Which Other Members Were Jailed and Why?
Levi Robson, 24, from Ely, managed drug supply and directed runners; he pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply class A drugs and received three years and six months.
Jaydon Watkins, from Ely, operated a linked cannabis line and pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply class A and class B drugs, resulting in a three-year sentence.
Lewis Adams, 27, from Barry, supplied wholesale cocaine and was sentenced to four years and five months for conspiring to supply class A drugs.
Thomas Haysham, 25, from Barry, pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply class A and class B drugs, receiving five years and ten months.
Stacey Cassemis, 37, from Ely, allowed her home for crack cocaine preparation; police found a kilogram block of cocaine there. She got a two-year suspended sentence.
What Tragic Consequences Followed the Drug Sales?
The court heard the group’s activities had deadly outcomes. In June 2020, a customer new to heroin contacted the MJ line, bought the drug, and died within 48 hours. South Wales Police stated the cause was ‘mixed drug toxicity, including heroin’, directly attributable to the MJ line.
This incident underscored the disregard for harm, as noted in sentencing.
What Did Police Say About the Exploitation of Youth?
Speaking after sentencing, senior investigating officer Detective Chief Inspector Tim Jones from South Wales Police said: “This was a highly organised criminal operation with clear leadership and defined roles, driven entirely by profit and complete disregard for the harm caused to others.”
DCI Jones added: “Ricardo Brown and his accomplices were behind the supply of significant amounts of class A and Class B drugs. What makes their offences even worse is their exploitation of children – they didn’t think twice about putting them in danger and at serious risk, for their own greed and profit.”
He continued:
“The sad reality is that the exploitation of young children by drugs gangs is common practice – dealers will identify the most vulnerable in our communities and put them in harm’s way while running things in the background. This is happening today, in communities across south Wales, and we all have a responsibility and a moral obligation to look for the signs of exploitation and act on them. In doing so, we are putting the dealers behind bars but also rescuing and safeguarding children who for whatever reason have found themselves in the grip of what is a miserable and dangerous existence at the hands of criminals.”
When and Where Did Sentencing Take Place?
Brown and accomplices were sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday, January 21, and Friday, January 22, 2026. All pleaded guilty due to thorough investigation and evidence.
As per Gavin Rutter’s reporting for Hits Radio, the total sentences exceeded 45 years, marking a significant blow to organised crime in the area.
Why Did Social Media Posts Backfire on the Gang?
The gang’s habit of sharing extravagant lifestyle pictures, such as with luxury cars and cash, provided crucial evidence for police. These posts, including the Lamborghini photo, illustrated the profits from drug sales.
Such flaunting is common but often leads to detection, as in this case.
What Impact Has Operation Sittella Had?
Operation Sittella ended the MJ line, preventing further harm and exploitation. It highlights South Wales Police’s commitment to tackling organised crime.
Communities are urged to report signs of child exploitation linked to drugs.
This case serves as a warning to similar networks: overt displays of wealth can accelerate downfall through digital footprints.
