Three men convicted of conspiracy to kidnap a man in Brighton last year have been sentenced to a total of almost 30 years in prison.
It follows a week-long trial at Lewes Crown Court in December, after which the jury returned guilty verdicts on Ilir Hasa and Saimir Nezaj, both aged 24.
Nezaj was also found guilty of threatening or intimidating a witness and possession with intent to supply class A drugs and fraud, which related to a separate offence.
A third man, Gazmend Mula, 29, had already pleaded guilty to conspiracy to kidnap and possession with intent to supply class A drugs.
Two others – Redon Sadria, 19, and Ardi Murataj, 20, the victim of the kidnap, had admitted possession with intent to supply class A drugs.
On Thursday (28 January) Ilir Hasa was jailed for eight years for kidnap.
Saimir Nezaj was sentenced to eight years for kidnap, 18 months consecutively for threatening a witness, two years for possession with intent to supply class A drugs, and 18 months concurrently for a fraudulent documents offence – a total of 11-and-a-half years.
Gazmend Mula got six-and-a-half years for kidnap and three-and-a-half years for possession with intent to supply class A drugs- a total of 10 years.
All five defendants will be deported at the end of their sentences
The judge also agreed all orders for forfeiture of and destruction of £16,500 cash, drugs and computers seized by police.
On Friday (29 January) Ardi Murataj – also known as Tony Kurt – and Redon Sandria were each jailed for two-and-a-half years for their involvment in the supply of drugs.
The court heard that just before 6pm on Sunday 12 April a 19-year-old man was attacked by four men and then bundled into a Vauxhall Astra in Princes Terrace, Brighton.
The Vauxhall involved in the kidnapping belonged to Albanian man Hasa.
Police enquiries led to Hasa and another Albanian man Mula who were arrested two days later and charged.
Two other men were charged with drug offences and in September, Nezaj was also charged with conspiracy to kidnap.
The Albanian victim came forward and contacted police after he saw video appeals put out by the force in English and Albanian
Detective Chief Inspector Jason Taylor, from the Surrey and Sussex Major Crime Team, said: “This was a fast moving and complex investigation. We did not even know the identity of the kidnap victim who was attacked and bundled into a car in broad daylight on the street. We were making enquiries across the county and beyond to trace him.
“I would like to pay tribute to the entire investigation team who have worked so tirelessly on the case.”
