One of UK's most wanted men who spent four years on the run admits cocaine charge in Wales

Calvin Parris, 34, from Cardiff, was detained by Portuguese Judicial Police officers on the Algarve, Portugal, on 3 October. Credit: National Crime Agency

One of the UK's most wanted men who spent four years on the run has admitted conspiring to supply cocaine in Wales.

Calvin Parris, 34, from Cardiff, was detained by police in Portugal near the town of Boliqueime on the Algarve on 3 October.

He was brought back to Wales by the National Crime Agency (NCA) after spending four years on the run, and pleaded guilty to one count of conspiring to supply cocaine at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday, 12 December.

The court heard that he was suspected of being a customer of a highly-organised crime group which brought 46kg of cocaine with a street value of £8million into Wales between February and June 2020.

It is believed that the group used encrypted communication devices operating on the ‘EncroChat’ platform to traffic the class A drugs into south Wales.

The 34-year-old, known for his row of gold front teeth, appeared at Cardiff Crown Court via video link wearing a Nike sports top, and spoke only to confirm his name and enter his guilty plea.

The court heard that the National Crime Agency believe he is the final member of the organised crime group. He is due to be sentenced on 14 February, 2025, at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court.

Parris had been named as one of the NCA’s most wanted fugitives after going on the run in November 2020.

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