Eight people from west Wales yesterday appeared before a judge in one of the largest alleged cocaine conspiracies ever seen at Swansea crown court.

Nineteen people in total stand charged with conspiring together to supply cocaine between January 1, 2012, and March 23, 2014.

A 20th person is also alleged to have been involved.

Those appearing on Tuesday included Greg McKenzie, aged 28, from Awelon, Blaenwaun, Whitland; Thomas Salmon, aged 33, of Llanmill House, Llanmill in Narberth; David Evans, aged 42, from Crud y Wawr in St Clears; John Fitzgerald, 44, of Priory Lodge Drive, Milford Haven; Marcus Randall, aged 43, of Heol Becca, Carmarthen; Daniel Gila, aged 26, from City Road, Haverfordwest; Emanuel Handford, aged 23, of Glannant Road, Carmarthen and Louise Thornton, aged 27, from Whitemill in Lampeter Velfrey.

McKenzie, Fitzgerald, Salmon and Evans entered pleas of guilty, as did two men from Merseyside and one from Swansea.

They were remanded in custody and will be sentenced after proceedings against the other defendants have been completed.

Handford also admitted the charge. He was granted bail and Judge Keith Thomas agreed a probation officer should prepare a report into his background in time for the sentencing hearing.

The remaining defendants will be asked to enter pleas at a case management hearing on August 7 and were granted bail meanwhile.

Robin Rouch, prosecuting, said it was alleged that some of the defendants had been involved in the supply of cocaine while others had allowed their bank accounts to be used for the transfer of drugs money.