Bernard Rees was one of the gang leaders

Eleven members of one of the biggest drug rings ever to operate in Wales have been jailed for a total of 80 years.

Police seized half a kilo of cocaine and 30 kilos of amphetamines with a street value of up to �1m when they swooped on the gang in Porthcawl, south Wales.

Gang leader Bernard Rees, 59, was given a 15-year sentence for his part in the cocaine and amphetamine-smuggling racket, while businessman Martin Barnes, 47, was also jailed for 15 years.

The pair were found guilty of supplying drugs along with seven other gang members, who were each jailed for between three and 11 years at Cardiff Crown Court.

In total, the nine members of the gang jailed on Wednesday received sentences of 74 years.

Two more members of the gang - Kodor Miah, 29, and Michael Laverick, 19, - were each given three-year sentences on Thursday after admitting supplying cocaine.

Gang leader Rees, of Cardiff, was convicted of three charges of conspiracy to supply drugs.

Martin Barnes was jailed for 15 years

Judge Philip Richards told him: "I have no difficulty in coming to the conclusion you were one of the principle organisers of this conspiracy."

Barnes, of Porthcawl, was also convicted of conspiracy to supply drugs and jailed for 15 years.

Judge Richards told him: "There is no doubt you were the organiser in the Bridgend area."

Stuart Lewis, 45, of Bridgend, was jailed for 11 years for conspiracy to supply drugs.

Judge Richards told him he had been Rees's "right-hand man."

Supply

Jones, of Port Talbot, Stuart Lewis, 45, Stephen Edwards, 35, Derek Bluck, 40, all of Bridgend and Marcel Edwards, 36, from Swansea, were all convicted of conspiracy to supply drugs.

Royston Wilkie, of 47, of Swansea, was convicted of possessing amphetamine with intent to supply.

Police surveillance caught the gang dealing drugs

Paul Barnes, 44, of Bridgend, was cleared of conspiracy charges by the jury but admitted possession of cannabis.

Jones and Marcel Edwards were both jailed for eight years, while Wilkie and Stephen Edwards received five year sentences.

Derek Bluck was jailed for four years and Stephen Lewis for three years.

Paul Barnes, who is Martin Barnes' brother, walked free from court after being given a conditional discharge.

Judge Richards praised the work of National Crime Squad detectives who smashed the drugs ring.

He said: "The team as a whole is worthy of commendation.

"But for the hard work these officers put into the matter, these offenders might still have been putting cocaine and amphetamine onto the streets."

The court was told police had the gang under surveillance for months before smashing what turned out to be one of south Wales' largest drugs operations.

Drugs and a gun were found in the operation

Barnes would meet other members of the gang in the car park of pubs and even a garden centre to distribute cocaine and amphetamines.

Some of the gang, were seen as distributors, while others were couriers, carrying the drugs all over south Wales.

Detectives even followed them to London as their drug-dealing continued.

The ring, which set up deals in garden centres, hotels and car parks, was smashed after the Welsh branch of the National Crime Squad launched Operation Eureka in May 2001.

Detective Chief Inspector Brian Jenkins, of the National Crime Squad, said: "It would be naive to think that we've made a big enough impact that we can go away.

"But we have made a significant impact on the availability of drugs."