A man has admitted one charge after two teenagers were suspected to have been trafficked to Thailand as part of an international cannabis ring.
Patrick O'Driscoll, 30, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to fraudulently evade prohibition on an importation of cannabis, but did not enter pleas to the other counts he faces.
Seven appear in court
Seven people in total have appeared in court in relation to their alleged roles in an international cannabis ring and a conspiracy to traffic people with a view to exploitation. They were arrested following an investigation into the arrests of two Cardiff boys in Thailand earlier this year.
Tramain Jeanne, 28, Gareth Press, 42, and Levi Coomansingh, 20, Jessica Sani, 28, Ffion Bowes-Cavanagh Hooley, 24, and Carrie-Ann Dreyer, 39, appeared at Cardiff Crown Court on Monday.
Pleas entered
Press and Coomansingh pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to fraudulently evade prohibition on an importation of cannabis and four counts of conspiracy to traffic. The conspiracy to traffic offences were in respect of two children aged 17, one adult aged 18, and persons unknown, who are alleged to have been trafficked with a view to exploitation.
Sani has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to fraudulently evade prohibition on an importation of cannabis, but has not entered pleas to trafficking charges after an application was made to dismiss those charges. Hooley has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to fraudulently evade prohibition on an importation of cannabis.
Dreyer has pleaded not guilty to conspiracy to fraudulently evade prohibition on an importation of cannabis and four counts of conspiracy to traffic. Jeanne has not yet entered pleas to the charges he faces.
Investigation and charges
A hearing at Cardiff Magistrates' Court previously heard that two boys had been “trafficked across international boundaries”. Their arrests sparked a South Wales Police investigation into how they came to be in Thailand.
After a series of raids in south Wales earlier this year, a handgun was discovered in a storage facility.
Tremaine Jeanne, of Boswell Close, Llanrumney, is charged with conspiring to fraudulently evade a prohibition on the importation of a class B drug, and four counts of conspiring to arrange the travel of another with a view to exploitation.
O'Driscoll, of Clos y Rhiw in Caerau, is charged with conspiring to fraudulently evade a prohibition on the importation of a class B drug, four counts of conspiring to arrange the travel of another with a view to exploitation, and possession of a firearm.
Coomansingh, of Angelina Street in Butetown, is charged with conspiring to fraudulently evade a prohibition on the importation of a class B drug and four counts of conspiring to arrange the travel of another with a view to exploitation.
Press, of Wheatley Road in Ely, is charged with conspiring to fraudulently evade a prohibition on the importation of a class B drug and four counts of conspiring to arrange the travel of another with a view to exploitation.
Jessica Sani, of Ladyhill Court, Newport, is charged with conspiring to fraudulently evade a prohibition on the importation of a class B drug and four counts of conspiring to arrange the travel of another with a view to exploitation.
Ffion Bowes-Cavanagh Hooley, of Clos y Rhiw in Caerau, is charged with conspiring to fraudulently evade a prohibition on the importation of a class B drug.
Carrie-Ann Dreyer, of Bedford Rise, Boverton, Llantwit Major, is charged with conspiring to fraudulently evade a prohibition on the importation of a class B drug and two counts of conspiring to arrange the travel of another with a view to exploitation.
Trial date set
Judge Daniel Williams set a provisional trial date at March 8 next year.
O'Driscoll, Jeanne, Coomansingh, Press, and Dreyer have been remanded in custody. Sani was also remanded in custody after a bail application was refused. Hooley was remanded on conditional bail.
