Gavin Smith, 44, of Pontlliw in Swansea, was jailed for plotting to smuggle cocaine and ketamine to New Zealand inside hollowed-out rope. South Wales Police arrested Smith in March after visiting his caravan in Pontlliw to deal with unrelated matters. Officers found a vacuum-packed bag of cannabis, plus ketamine, cocaine and psilocybin, along with drug-making tools including weighing scales and a drug press. The court heard officers recovered his phone from a microwave and accessed encrypted messages on the Signal app. Prosecutor Ian Wright said messages showed Smith had been dealing cannabis in half-kilo quantities for 10 years. Police also traced Smith’s finances after finding a storage unit on an industrial estate. Inside were 15 vacuum-sealed bags of cannabis, cash totalling £678, and a notebook containing crypto recovery seed phrases, which gave access to a crypto wallet with £5,763. On Signal, Smith exchanged messages with a contact known only as “The Baron”, who appeared to live in New Zealand. Wright said “The Baron” suggested forcing drugs into lengths of rope using an air compressor, then sealing the rope in bags with a vacuum sealer. Smith told “The Baron” he could supply ketamine at £2,000 per kilo. They also discussed shipping cocaine the same way, agreeing £4,000 for each kilo and planning an initial two kilos per week, rising if the method worked. Wright told the court there was no evidence Smith actually sent cocaine. Smith pleaded guilty to conspiracy to export ketamine and conspiracy to export cocaine, being concerned in the supply of cannabis, possession of cannabis with intent to supply, possession of ketamine with intent to supply, simple possession of cocaine, simple possession of psilocybin, and two counts of possession of criminal property. He was sentenced to six years and nine months, and a proceeds of crime investigation is set to begin.