A “lucrative” drugs line across Cardiff and Caerphilly borough with more than 100 customers was busted after a lengthy police pursuit through the city. Zack Gibbs was followed by police to City Road in Cardiff after officers became suspicious of a woman walking towards Gibbs’ stolen Mitsubishi Outlander SUV on December 14 last year.
A sentencing hearing at Newport Crown Court on Thursday heard how two officers in a police vehicle illuminated their lights before Gibbs decided to stop the car, get out, and run via a newsagent to nearby Northcote Street. One officer stayed beside Gibbs’ car while another set off after the defendant on foot.
A third officer also arrived on the scene and threatened to use a Taser to stop Gibbs who eventually surrendered near an alleyway at Northcote Lane. The officers recovered a mobile phone which Gibbs had deliberately dropped in the newsagents. The Huawei device showed “text bombs” had been sent on that day to more than 90 “customers” offering Class A drug while £540 was also seized from the Mitsubishi.
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Thomas Stanway, prosecuting, told the court that officers then established the vehicle had been reported as stolen on November 21 from London. Upon his arrest Gibbs denied being in possession of any drugs or being in possession of money through the sale of drugs but he later pleaded guilty to being concerned in making an offer to supply heroin, being concerned in making an offer to supply cocaine, and possession of cocaine with intent to supply.
Mr Stanway said: “Officers linked the defendant to a drugs line that used his alias ‘Zane’. On 100 days that the line was active 87 of those days saw text bombs sent.” He said sometimes those text bombs would be received by more than 100 contacts, adding that the customer base was “significant” and the line "prevalent".
Gibbs, of no fixed address, has 19 convictions for 41 offences including possession of cocaine with intent to supply. Christopher Evans, for Gibbs, said his client lost his mother when he was 14 and has had a “difficult” childhood. He told the court his pre-sentence report makes for “sad reading”.
“He has complex PTSD related to complex childhood challenges,” Mr Evans added. “He has used drugs to deal with what has gone on in his past. He would benefit from some sort of psychological outpatient service.”
Judge Recorder Greg Bull, sentencing, told Gibbs: “In 2022 you were at the heart of sophisticated dealing of Class A drugs in Cardiff which started in July. I accept that you were not a prime mover of what was taking place but you played a major and significant role. You took instruction and you gave it. You were responsible for sending large numbers of what are known as message bombs to potential customers. I have no doubt a profitable drug dealing business was established.”
Gibbs was jailed for four years and six months. He was also disqualified from driving for two years and six months.
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