It was a remote and nondescript compound on a narrow country lane in the Carmarthenshire countryside far from prying eyes. If you did happen upon the smallholding all you would see would be a collection of cabins and sheds, a couple of old vehicles, and signs warning of the presence of CCTV cameras and guard dogs.
To the outside world it was not obvious what kind of business was being conducted being the front gates. But when police raided the property in the early hours of the morning with search teams and sniffer dogs they knew exactly what they were looking for.
Husband and wife Stephen and Lynne Leyson and their son Samson had lived at Pibwr Farm near the village of Capel Dewi in Carmarthenshire for more than a decade. Some families living in the area report being wary of them; there were rumours in some quarters about the Leysons - including rumours of weapons - and there were concerns about vehicles linked to the address being driven at speed in the narrow lanes east of Carmarthen. The family had also come to the attention of Dyfed-Powys Police in connection with a drug dealing operation spanning south west Wales.
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The polices Operation Hilston was to reveal the Leysons as major cocaine and cannabis dealers supplying to, and to some extent controlling, a network of street dealers across Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Swansea. All three family members were subsequently convicted of conspiracy to supply Class A and Class B drugs and given lengthy jail terms, though currently only two are behind bars. Lynne Leyson - who also goes by the name Annelyn Caldicot - skipped bail and is currently on the run. For the latest court reports, sign up to our crime newsletter here
Police executed a search warrant at the family's compound in early hours of October 27, 2021, and later that day and into the next a carried out a full-scale search of the smallholding and its various buildings, sheds, storage units and caravans. In the main accommodation on the site police found 120g of cannabis, more than £17,000 in cash concealed in a number different locations, and digital weighing scales with traces of white powder. Another 290g of cannabis was found in a nearby dog shed, while a further kilogram of the drug was found hidden a suitcase in the corner of a field. You can read about a Hampshire family who moved to Carmarthenshire to set up a multi-million pound cannabis production and supply operation here
The gang's stash of cocaine was located by police sniffer dog Billy - after making a search of a wooden chalet on the smallholding PD Billy's handler took the dog into a nearby field for a break, and there he picked up the scent of the Class A drug. The dog led his handler to a hedge at the corner of the field in which was hidden a green bag containing £60,000 worth of cocaine.
Meanwhile a search of a cabin in the compound turned up in a small canvas bag hidden in the cavity space between the ceiling and the roof sheets - inside the bag was a 9mm semi-automatic self-loading pistol that had been modified to allow it to fire live ammunition. It it believed to be the first such firearm of its kind ever found in the Dyfed-Powys Police area.
All the items seized at the property were sent off for forensic examination, and then in the weeks and months after the raid detectives set about the task of piecing together the logistics of the crime family's operation and identifying the dealers the Leysons had been using to sell the drugs on streets from Pembroke to Swansea - including one who went by the nickname Mr Pickles.
Following a two-week trial at Swansea Crown Court in May this year Stephen Paul Leyson, aged 55, Lynne Leyson, aged 51, and their 22-year-old son Samson Leyson were convicted of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and conspiracy to supply Class B drugs. Stephen Leyson - who has "repeated offences before various courts over the years" including for inflicting grievous bodily harm - was also convicted of possession of a firearm. In July Stephen Leyson was sentenced to 11 years in prison and Samson Leyson to six years - mum Lynne Leyson did not turn up to court having skipped bail and gone to ground.
Sending the male defendants down Judge Catherine Richards said the Leysons had been running a significant drug dealing operation in west Wales, and while she accepted the son had been brought into his parents' criminal lifestyle she said he had done so "willingly" and had benefited from it. The judge also said she "entirely rejected" Stephen Leyson's assertion that he had found the gun and was planning to hand it in to the police, saying she believed the purpose of having the weapon was to - at the very least - intimidate people.
Earlier this month on-the-run mum Lynne Leyson was sentenced in her absence to nine years in prison with the judge describing her as the "dominant force" in the conspiracy. Despite police efforts to trace Lynne Leyson - who also goes by the name Annelyn Caldicot - she remains on the run, and she is now included on the CrimeStoppers charity's most wanted list. Meanwhile the Leyson's finances are be examined as part of a Proceeds of Crime Act investigation which will include a number high-value personal items seized during the search of the farm.
Speaking after the convictions the senior investigating officer in the case, Dyfed-Powys Police detective chief inspector Rhys Jones, said: "The Leyson family are an organised crime group who tried to make a quick buck by selling large quantities of cocaine and cannabis to sub dealers across south west Wales. We hope this case sends a clear message that we are continuously working to disrupt the supply of illegal substances in our force area and will prosecute anyone who tries to spread their misery through our communities for financial gain."
