Man wore disguises to deal cocaine during lockdown

Calvin Parris, who was on the run for four years, has been sentenced to 12 years

A man disguised himself in uniform and workwear to deal drugs during the Covid lockdown before spending four years on the run in Portugal.

Calvin Parris, 34, from Cardiff, who became one of the UK's most wanted men after fleeing has been jailed for 12 years after a hearing at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court.

The court heard that Parris, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply cocaine, had been dealing with individuals "at the very top of an organised crime group".

Judge Jeremy Jenkins said the gang had been "flooding south Wales and the valleys area with Class A drugs", with a "truly staggering" amount of cocaine, during the Covid lockdown period.

Cocaine seized by police in connection with the case

Parris was believed to have left the UK on 29 November 2020, after some of his co-conspirators had already been arrested.

He was finally detained in Portugal on 3 October 2024, and was escorted back to the UK two weeks later and taken into custody by South Wales Police.

The court heard that Parris had used different usernames on an encrypted messaging service, Encrochat, in 2020 which "demonstrated his fear of being detected" but also indicated at "further criminality".

These included 7kg of cocaine which the prosecution said was supplied to him, as well as a further 5kg which was intended to be supplied, but had been intercepted.

Prosecutor Luke Blackburn said giving Parris a reduction in his sentence for an early guilty plea would be "against the spirit" of the law, given that he had deliberately evaded authorities for so long.

But Oliver Cook, defending, said Parris had "travelled lawfully to Portugal" before he had been arrested or faced any charges, and so should be entitled to the same sentence reduction for an early guilty plea as others.

Mr Cook said Parris had shown "real remorse" for his action and already taken steps to reform himself while in prison.

"There is acknowledgement of the impact his offending has had on those around him… and society as a whole," he added.

Sentencing Parris, Judge Jeremy Jenkins said the amount of cocaine in question had been "truly staggering" and Parris had been a "trusted co-conspirator" of the gang.

He said Parris's previous drugs conviction was considered in sentencing, but that since he "did not abscond" and was not under arrest at the time, he would be entitled to credit for his guilty plea.

A starting point of 18 years was reduced to 12 years, with at least half served in custody, after which Parris would be released on license.

Detective Sergeant Ceri Young, of South Wales Police, said: "Calvin Parris was a member of an organised crime group involved in a complex conspiracy to traffic class A controlled drugs into south Wales utilising encrypted communications devices operating on the 'Encro Chat' platform.

"Parris and his co-conspirators used encrypted communications devices which operated the 'Encro Chat' platform to aid their offending and frustrate law enforcement.

"Organised crime and drug trafficking has a significant detrimental impact on communities and bringing offenders involved in this level of criminality to justice is a priority for South Wales Police."