Sam Takahashi, the 34-year-old from Newport dubbed Wales' most charming criminal, insists he is a changed man after serving two and a half years in prison for supplying industrial quantities of cocaine. In a candid interview, he expressed remorse for his actions and outlined plans to open a wellness centre to help others.
From Barber to Drug Kingpin
Takahashi's descent into crime began in his early 20s when, struggling to fund his own cocaine addiction, he turned to dealing. Initially selling small amounts to friends, he eventually became a senior figure in a gang led by Robert Andrews, which supplied millions of pounds worth of cocaine. Between March and December 2023, the network sold approximately 85kg of the drug. Takahashi admitted to conspiring to supply cocaine and was sentenced to eight years in jail, but was released early due to prison overcrowding after serving 40% of his sentence.
The Turning Point
Takahashi's arrest came after police surveillance caught him exchanging bags of drugs in woodland off the M4. He had been engaged to his girlfriend at the time, but the relationship ended after his arrest. “She was crying and holding the engagement ring. I was saying, ‘You’ve got to leave.’ It was heartbreaking,” he recalled. During his time in prison, Takahashi lost his nan, granddad, and a close friend to suicide. “I missed so many funerals,” he said. “My best friend was like a father to me. He visited me in prison, crying his eyes out. Four weeks later he hanged himself. I missed his funeral. That was the hardest thing ever.”
Reflections on His Crimes
Takahashi admitted that the money he made from drug dealing—£432,914—was spent on holidays, designer clothes, and helping others. He claimed to have given away money and gifts at Christmas to those in need. However, he acknowledged the harm he caused: “I did like the image. The watches, the chains, the nice designer clothes. It made me feel worthy because I felt worthless in my life.” He now says he is no longer under any illusions about the damage he inflicted on addicts and their families.
Plans for the Future
Since his release, Takahashi has been working on plans to open a wellness centre in the countryside. “I want to create a community and bring people together,” he said. “Everyone's disconnected from nature, everyone's disconnected from each other. People just want love… I want to share my love, my wisdom, my knowledge.” He credits his early release to the UK government's licence scheme, adding, “Shout out Keir Starmer.”
A Changed Man?
Takahashi insists his days of crime are over. “There’s nothing to incriminate myself with,” he said. “I’ve already been to jail.” He now focuses on staying clean and helping others, including a fellow inmate he supported during his sentence. “Every day I was checking he had everything he needed, making sure he had food and his vape, telling him: ‘Don’t panic.’ He was like: ‘Mate, you don't even know me. Why are you doing this?’” Takahashi believes his ability to connect with people can be used for good.
