Swansea Man Caught in Waste Removal Sting Fined £1,200

A Swansea man has been ordered to pay more than £1,200 after falling into a police sting operation whilst responding to a Facebook post asking for waste removal services without having the proper licence. 💰⚖️

James Joyce, 45, of Llangyfelach Road, unknowingly responded to a fake Facebook post that was part of Operation Walt – a joint “test purchase” operation by Neath Port Talbot Council and South Wales Police to catch unlicensed waste carriers.

Joyce collected waste from Lonlas Village Workshops in October last year for £40, assuring staff “he did everything by the book”. However, he was stopped by waste enforcement officers who confirmed he had no licence to transport waste.

After ignoring a Fixed Penalty Notice and reminder letters, Joyce was prosecuted for carrying controlled waste contrary to the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989.

At Swansea Magistrates Court on Thursday, 29th May, Joyce pleaded guilty and was fined £615, ordered to pay costs of £413 and given a £246 victim surcharge – totalling £1,274.

Councillor Scott Jones, Neath Port Talbot Council’s cabinet member for streetscene, said: “The cheap and unlawful removal of waste by unlicensed persons, has an effect on the local economy in that it presents unfair competition to legitimate businesses and this case shows the council and its partners will use every power available to them to bring to justice anyone who moves waste without the proper licence being in place.”