Brothers Joshua and Ryan Davies were discovered to be running a cannabis dealing operation from their family home, where police found a stash of the drug valued at £17,000, along with a firearm and a zombie knife. Swansea Crown Court heard that one of the siblings initially began dealing cannabis to support his own usage, but upon realising the high demand for the drug locally, he expanded the operation. At the time of their drug dealing activities, Joshua Davies was on licence from a previous conviction for trafficking cocaine.
During the police raid at their Carmarthen residence in October 2022, over 1.4kg of cannabis, £2,200 in cash, mobile phones, a firearm, and a zombie knife were seized. Additionally, Ryan Davies was found in possession of a small amount of ecstasy. Investigations on Joshua Davies’ phone revealed that the brothers had been supplying cannabis over three months, with Joshua advertising the drug for sale on platforms like Snapchat and Facebook.
Prosecutors stated that forensic tests on the drug packages recovered from the house contained DNA from both brothers, estimating the total value of the cannabis seized at nearly £16,860. Despite initial denials during police interviews, both Joshua and Ryan Davies pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis with intent to supply and to being concerned in the supply of cannabis. Joshua also admitted to an additional charge of cocaine possession.
Joshua Davies, 24, and Ryan Davies, 20, received their sentences for the drug-related offences. Joshua was sentenced to 12 months in prison, while Ryan was sentenced to eight months detention in a young offenders institution. The brothers will each serve up to half of their respective sentences in custody before being released on licence to complete the remaining portion in the community. Joshua’s previous cocaine trafficking conviction was cited as aggravating factor in his sentencing.
Defence counsels for the brothers highlighted various circumstances in their clients’ lives, including difficult upbringings and lack of education. They also pointed out efforts made by Joshua to distance himself from negative influences and find legitimate employment after reflecting on his past actions. Despite disagreements with aspects of the pre-sentence report, Ryan’s counsel acknowledged his client’s long-term cannabis use and lack of awareness about the extent of demand for the drug in their area.