Moment serial fly-tipper is caught on camera dumping remains of cannabis factory at Welsh beauty spot

• Steven Bouchard, 38, dumped nearly 200 bags of rubbish at Rhondda Cynon Taf
• Read more: Find out how bad fly-tipping is near YOU with interactive map

A serial fly-tipper was caught on camera dumping the remains of a cannabis factory on a Welsh mountain beauty spot. 

Steven Bouchard, 38, from Pontypridd in Wales, is a licenced waste carrier – however he can be seen illegally dumping almost 200 black bags of rubbish at three countryside sites.

It turns out that much of the waste was part of an old cannabis factory and this included plants, fertilizer, soil, venting pipes and heat lamps.

Bouchard was caught via covert CCTV cameras installed specifically to target fly-tipping in beauty spot areas of Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales.

He was prosecuted after a joint investigation between the local council and South Wales Police who found more drug waste when officers seized his van. 

Bouchard can be seen driving in and opening his back doors to release the rubbish 

Much of the waste was part of an old cannabis factory, including plants, fertilizer and soil as well as venting pipes

Bouchard was handed a four month suspended sentence at Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates Court and ordered to pay more than £2,000 in fines and costs.

READ MORE: Just one in 400 fly-tipping offences have been prosecuted in the past decade

Speaking after the sentence, Councillor Ann Crimmings, said: ‘Fly-tipping in our County Borough will not be tolerated, ever. 

‘There is never an excuse to blight our towns, streets and villages with waste, and we will find those responsible and hold them to account.

‘As this case highlights, we investigate all fly-tipping reports and will uncover all the details as Mr Bouchard has found out.

‘Fly-tipping is a serious offence and can lead to large fines, a criminal record and even a custodial sentence.

‘Removal of fly-tipping in our County Borough costs hundreds of thousands of pounds which should be spent on key front-line services.

‘We will use every power available to us to hold those accountable for their actions.

‘Many of the items we recover on our streets, towns and mountains could have been taken to a Community Recycling Centre or collected from the kerbside at no extra cost.’

A look at some of the waste left behind by Bouchard’s fly-tipping

The licenced waste carrier was handed a four month suspended sentence and ordered to pay more than £2,000 in fines and costs

Bouchard was caught via covert CCTV cameras installed to target fly-tipping in beauty spot areas of Rhondda Cynon Taf, South Wales

Instead of disposing of the waste correctly he illegally dumped almost 200 black bags of rubbish at three countryside sites

Another look at some of the venting pipes Bouchard dumped at the Welsh beauty spot

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