A FFOSYFFIN man who was part of a multi-million-pound operation that “flooded the streets of Aberystwyth” with drugs, has been jailed for eight years.

Christopher Peter Deakin, 36, of Crud yr Awel, Bro Cilcert, was sentenced at Swansea Crown Court for five counts, including conspiracy to supply cocaine and cannabis, and transferring criminal property.

The first phase of the Dyfed-Powys Police-led Operation Ulysses saw 28 defendants sentenced in March this year, including six Aberystwyth men who were jailed for a combined 30 years for their role in the drug gang.

A Dyfed-Powys Police spokesperson said: “Operation Ulysses was set up following a number of drug-related deaths between 2014 and 2017 in Llanelli and Aberystwyth, and the force’s Serious and Organised Crime Team set up the operation to tackle the scourge of Class A drugs and to prevent further tragedies.

“The multi-million-pound conspiracies, by sophisticated organised crime groups, supplied and distributed staggering amounts of drugs, that flooded the streets of Aberystwyth and Llanelli.”

Also sentenced at Swansea on 12 July were Colin Levi Brown, 36, from Wolverhampton, who was sentenced to four years and six months for conspiracy to supply cocaine, conspiracy to supply Class B drugs and transferring criminal property; Joel Morris, 25, from Merseyside who was sentenced to five years four months imprisonment. for conspiracy to supply cocaine and heroin; and Conrad Blackwell, 43 from Merseyside who was sentenced to 36 weeks imprisonment on one count of participating in the criminal activities of an organised crime group.

The police spokesperson added: “In total 32 defendants have now been sentenced to over 214 years in prison between them. We have also seen a decline in the number of heroin-related deaths in Llanelli since the group’s operation was intercepted.

Operation Ulysses was described by police as the “most complex investigation” carried out by the force’s Serious Organised Crime Team, which seized over 25kg of cocaine and heroin, as well as MDMA tablets, ketamine and cannabis.

Officers were praised for their work during the operation, with a Judge’s Commendation for senior investigating officers DI Gareth Roberts and DS Rhys Jones, DC Cheryl Wright as officer in the case, DC Dylan Rowlands as disclosure officer and Nathan John as the Serious and Organised Crime team analyst.

A further two defendants will be sentenced on Thursday, 2 August, at Swansea Crown Court.