Overwhelming smell from rental car led to discovery that landed men in jail

Police made the find after stopping a rental car in Cardiff

An “overwhelming” smell from a rental car led police officers to a discovery that landed two Cardiff men in jailed. The pair, along with a woman, were stopped by police on Newport Road before a search of the rental car led police to find numerous wraps of crack cocaine and heroin.

Kieran Chapman, 29, and Keanu Hicks, 26, were both in the car along with 36-year-old Chantelle Johnson who was driving the car when they were stopped by police on April 9, 2025.

Detective Sergeant Lia Jones, of South Wales Police, said: “It was immediately apparent that these three individuals had strong ties to criminality involving Class A drugs just from the quantities of substances and money that were found in their car when they were arrested. The smell of cannabis was also overwhelming.”

As well as the multiple wraps of crack cocaine and heroin, a large sum of cash and mobile phones were found in the car. One phone found in the vehicle’s glove box was linked to a drug line and the three were arrested.

Johnson, from Gabalfa, was subject of a search of her address following the arrests. Don’t miss a court report by signing up to our crime newsletter here

During the search cannabis, shotgun shells and a bullet-proof vest were found at the property.

Chapman, from St Mellons, pleaded guilty to being concerned in the supply of cocaine and heroin. He was sentenced to four years and five months in prison.

Hicks pleaded guilty to possessing with intent to supply cocaine and heroin and has been jailed for three years and four months.

The driver has been handed a jail sentence of three years, suspended for 30 months.

Detective Sergeant Jones said: “The subsequent investigation reinforced these criminal links. They are, like so many others before them, people who have decided to sell Class A drugs in order to benefit financially, without a care for what harm these drugs will do to those down the line who end up consuming them, as well as their families and wider communities.

“They belong in prison, and that’s where they’re heading.”

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