#clearholdbuild — Public Fediverse posts
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HAFOD: Snapchat messages led police to a dealer’s ketamine stash — hidden in a Tesco bag in his spare bedroom
A Hafod drug dealer whose Snapchat messages gave him away has been jailed for four years — after police found 2.7kg of ketamine and hundreds of grams of cannabis stashed in a Tesco carrier bag in his spare bedroom.
Flynn Johnson-Andrews, 28, of Grandison Street, was identified during an unrelated phone download, when Snapchat messages showed him selling cannabis and ketamine, South Wales Police said.
Officers went to his home on 9 June and arrested him as he got out of his car and headed for his front door, Swansea Crown Court heard.
After his phone was seized, the 28-year-old told officers they would find ketamine and cannabis in a spare bedroom — where a Tesco carrier bag was found holding packages of ketamine totalling some 2.7kg, along with 623g of cannabis.
The search also turned up cannabis joints under the bed and on a bedside cabinet, small snap bags, and weighing scales in the kitchen covered in white powder.
Messages sent and received on his phone over the previous few days related to the supply of cannabis, the court heard.
Johnson-Andrews was on licence at the time, having been sentenced to 32 months in prison in 2024 for supplying cocaine and cannabis. He has five previous convictions for 11 offences, including possession of Class A, B and C drugs and three counts of drug-driving.
He pleaded guilty to possession of cannabis with intent to supply and possession of ketamine with intent to supply, and was jailed for four years — four years for the ketamine offence and six months for the cannabis, to run concurrently — after a one-third discount for his guilty pleas.
His barrister, Andrew Evans, told the court that both of his client’s parents had struggled with drug addiction, saying it was “perhaps not surprising that he is a young man with his own addiction issues”. He conceded an immediate custodial sentence was inevitable.
Judge Huw Rees told Johnson-Andrews it was not his fault that he did not have the best start in life, and said that as he approached his 30th birthday he was left wondering what direction his life would take. The judge told him he would make a “good teacher” telling people to give up drugs.
Acting Inspector Jonathan Shaddick said: “This was an excellent arrest, charge and sentence which demonstrates quick and efficient police work following a thorough investigation from start to finish.
“I recognise the work of PC Finch, who led the warrant, along with the fine work of other City NPT officers involved in this investigation.
“With our Clear Hold Build work currently ongoing in the area to build a better Dyfatty, this sends a strong message that those in the area who are involved in criminality can expect to be tracked down and brought to justice as we address the long-standing issues the people of Dyfatty have had to contend with for too long.”
The Clear Hold Build operation — which clears an area of organised crime, holds the ground, then works with the community to build longer-term resilience — has been credited with cutting crime in Dyfatty by more than a tenth in four months. Over the same period, a row of long-shuttered High Street units reopened as the Dyfatty Junction community hub.
Hafod itself sits within the wider turnaround area. The neighbourhood is one of six — alongside Dyfatty, North Hill, High Street, Brynmelyn and Waun Wen — covered by a £20m, decade-long UK Government investment programme, and applications are open until later this month for residents to join the board deciding how the money is spent.
South Wales Police said tackling organised crime was a priority for the force, and that it would “continue to be relentless” in pursuing criminals to protect communities from harm.
Anyone who suspects drug dealing is taking place — or is concerned that a young person or vulnerable adult may have been targeted by an organised crime group — can call South Wales Police on 101, or report anonymously to Crimestoppers online or on 0800 555 111. “You don’t have to be certain, just concerned,” the force said. In an emergency, always call 999.
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The regeneration and safety drive moves into its next phase. -
SWANSEA: Empty Dyfatty shops reborn as community hub in neighbourhood’s turnaround
A parade of long-empty shops in Dyfatty has been brought back to life as a new community space for the neighbourhood.
Swansea Council has reopened the former units on High Street as Dyfatty Junction, a hub for drop-ins, advice, training and community activity.
The aim is to reconnect people with services and with each other, in a space designed to feel welcoming and local.
A range of partners are already involved, spanning health, housing, police, and voluntary and community organisations.
Services are expected to include regular drop-ins, training sessions and informal support in what organisers describe as a safe, trusted setting.
The units were cleared, refurbished and safety-checked before branding, signage and furniture were installed, with a phased programme of activity planned over the coming months.
Crucially, the council says the space will be shaped with and by the community, with residents helping to influence how it is used.
Walkabouts, drop-in sessions and chances to share ideas are planned as Dyfatty Junction becomes active.
Over time, the aim is for it to become a community-led facility, with the council stepping back as local ownership grows.
The launch marks a milestone in the Building a Better Dyfatty initiative, a partnership led by the Swansea Public Services Board and South Wales Police.
The approach pairs regeneration with a push to tackle serious and organised crime in Dyfatty and the surrounding area, using the police model known as Clear, Hold, Build.
Swansea Council’s cabinet member for children, young people and families, Alyson Anthony, said seeing the space open and welcoming people in made the work worthwhile.
She said it was about bringing support closer to people’s lives, removing barriers and helping conversations happen so people could get the help they need.
The opening builds on early signs that the crackdown is working, with police pointing to falling crime since the operation began in January.
Between 15 January and 15 May, South Wales Police figures show overall crime in the area down 11.5% on the same period last year, with anti-social behaviour down 63.2%.
City neighbourhood inspector Andrew Hedley said Clear, Hold, Build was about more than enforcement, and aimed to create lasting change by working with communities and partners.
He said bringing the empty units back into positive use helped create a visible, trusted space where support, engagement and opportunity could grow.
The work runs alongside a wider £20m, decade-long regeneration drive for Dyfatty and neighbouring communities, funded through the UK Government’s Pride in Place programme.
Related stories from Swansea Bay News
Charity boss to lead £20m drive to transform Dyfatty
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The first figures from the Clear, Hold, Build operation in April. -
SWANSEA: Crime down 12% and anti-social behaviour down 69% as Dyfatty crackdown delivers early results
The results cover the period between 15 January and 15 March, the first two months of the Clear Hold Build initiative, which was launched by South Wales Police and partners in late March with a pledge to take back the streets from organised crime.
South Wales Police say that in that period, officers carried out 28 proactive arrests for offences including assaults, robberies, drug dealing and possession, fail-to-appear warrants and weapon-related offences. A further 45 stop searches were conducted, 15 of which produced positive results leading to arrests or out-of-court disposals.
Police say 38 people were issued with directions to leave the area in response to anti-social behaviour, and four community protection warning notices were issued to repeat offenders with no legitimate reason to be in Dyfatty. Officers also executed five misuse-of-drugs warrants at identified addresses during the period.
The 69% reduction in reported anti-social behaviour incidents compared to the same period last year is particularly striking given the scale of the problems that preceded the operation. Residents had been living with the effects of organised crime for years — a situation Chief Superintendent Stephen Jones described as “long overdue” for action when the operation launched.
Acting Chief Inspector Andrew Hedley said the results reflected the strength of the partnership approach established between police, the local authority, support services and the community. “Our continued presence in Dyfatty is making a real difference, and we are committed to building on this progress to ensure residents feel safe and supported,” he said. “This is only the beginning, and we will keep working together to deliver long-lasting improvements for the area.”
The Clear Hold Build model, backed by the Home Office, follows a three-phase approach. The first — Clear — involves a year-long police-led crackdown targeting offenders and disrupting criminal networks. The second phase, Hold, focuses on stabilising the area and preventing gangs from returning once enforcement pressure eases. The final phase, Build, brings long-term investment to tackle the root causes of crime and support economic growth.
The force says the Dyfatty project is the flagship scheme for the Swansea Public Services Board and builds on similar operations delivered elsewhere in the South Wales Police force area, including in Merthyr Tydfil, Adamsdown, Roath and Butetown.
The Hold phase will be led by Swansea Council working with all Public Services Board partners, and police and partners say it will focus on maintaining security, preventing criminal re-infiltration and strengthening community confidence. The Build phase will begin during the Hold phase and continue over the longer term.
The operation is being coordinated through the Swansea Public Services Board, which brings together South Wales Police, Swansea Council, Swansea Bay University Health Board and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service. Council leader Rob Stewart had pledged at the outset that the project would run alongside a separate regeneration programme expected to bring up to £20 million of investment into Dyfatty over the next decade.
The early results suggest the intensive enforcement phase is having a tangible effect on the ground. Police have not yet detailed how many of the 28 arrests have led to charges or prosecutions, but the volume of activity in just eight weeks underlines the scale of the operation.
The force has signalled that work will continue in the months ahead, with the stated aim not simply of making arrests but of achieving lasting change for residents who have long borne the brunt of crime and disorder in the area.
Related stories from Swansea Bay News
Dyfatty crime crackdown: Major police operation targets Swansea hotspot
Our original report on the launch of the Clear Hold Build operation in March.Dyfatty set for £20m investment boost
The regeneration plans running alongside the police operation.Dyfatty flats set for major upgrade
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Multi-million pound plans to improve ageing council tower blocks in the area. -
DYFATTY CRIME CRACKDOWN: Major police operation targets Swansea hotspot
The Dyfatty Clear Hold Build project is now underway, targeting long-standing issues linked to serious organised crime, anti-social behaviour and community safety concerns in the area around High Street North and nearby tower blocks.
Led by South Wales Police alongside the city council and other agencies, the operation is being described as a “long overdue” intervention for residents.
Map outlining the Dyfatty area targeted under the Clear Hold Build programme
(Image: South Wales Police)‘Long overdue’ action
Chief Superintendent Stephen Jones said the first phase will focus on removing criminal influence and protecting vulnerable people.
He said many residents have been forced to live with the impact of organised crime for years — despite having no connection to it themselves.
“This work is long overdue for the people who live in Dyfatty,” he said.
Residents, officials and partners attend the launch of the Building a Better Dyfatty programme
(Image: South Wales Police)Chief Superintendent Stephen Jones addresses partners at the project launch event in High Street
(Image: South Wales Police)Three-phase plan to transform the area
The scheme follows the national Clear Hold Build model — a strategy backed by the Home Office.
- Clear phase: A year-long police-led crackdown targeting offenders and disrupting criminal networks
- Hold phase: Stabilising the area and preventing gangs from returning
- Build phase: Long-term investment to tackle the root causes of crime
Officials say the aim is not just arrests — but lasting change.
Millions pledged to ‘transform’ Dyfatty
Council leader Rob Stewart said the project will work alongside a separate regeneration programme expected to bring up to £20 million into the area over the next decade.
He said the combined efforts would help “clean up and stabilise” Dyfatty while supporting long-term improvements.
The initiative is being coordinated through the Swansea Public Services Board, which includes partners such as Swansea Bay University Health Board and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service.
Community at the heart of the plan
Chair of the board, Andrea Harrington, said the project would focus on listening to residents and working with local communities to deliver change.
She described Dyfatty as a diverse area facing a range of challenges — but said partners were committed to creating a safer, stronger neighbourhood.
Related stories from Swansea Bay News
Dyfatty set for £20m investment boost
Plans aim to transform the area over the next decade with major regeneration funding.Police crackdown on Dyfatty anti-social behaviour
Dispersal powers introduced after rising incidents in the area.Three arrested after armed police incident
Officers responded to a disturbance at flats, with arrests made following an investigation.Dyfatty flats set for major upgrade
Multi-million pound plans to improve ageing council tower blocks.Major makeover for Croft Street flats
More than 100 homes to benefit from upgrades including new kitchens and security.CCTV upgrade at problem tower blocks
New security measures installed to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour.New anti-social behaviour powers proposed
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Community-led projects aim to bring new life to Swansea city centre.