A Brighton drug dealer has been jailed for two years and eight months after being caught with cocaine in the run up to Pride last summer.
Police suspected that Elton Bakijasi, 44, unemployed, of Station Road, Portslade, was using a blue Ford Fiesta for dealing drugs.
He was stopped by members of the Sussex Police Specialist Enforcement Unit (SEU) at the corner of Powis Grove and Dyke Road, in Brighton.
Sussex Police said: “As he was arrested, he tried to kick a cubby hole in the vehicle shut.
“Officers found 27 grip seal bags contained inside and also found evidence that Bakijasi was using a false Italian driving licence.
“He was charged with possession of a class A drug with intent to supply and with possession of false identity documents with intent.”
After an investigation by detective Victoria Thornton-Green, from Brighton CID, Bakijasi was convicted at Hove Crown Court on Friday 27 January.
He was jailed yesterday (Monday 6 February) at the same court by Miss Recorder Quincy Whitaker.
He will also face deportation to Albania on his release.
The court was told that officers stopped Bakijasi at 7.10pm on Wednesday 3 August.
He did not have a valid licence and the vehicle was not registered in his name.
He was caught during an operation that was part of a crackdown carried out by Brighton and Hove’s Neighbourhood Policing Team, Tactical Enforcement Unit, Specialist Enforcement Unit and Dedicated Coaching Unit.
The four-day operation included 50 searches of individuals, properties and vehicles, resulting in the seizures of
- 165 wraps of class A drugs worth around £10,000
- more than 30 cannabis portions of varying quantities
- nine weapons
- five vehicles
- £5,250 in cash
…
Sussex Police said: “Eight people were arrested and three vulnerable people were safeguarded with reports written to support them.”
Chief Inspector Andy Saville, of Brighton and Hove’s Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “Catching criminals and keeping our communities safe is a round-the-clock job, carried out every day of the year.
“This targeted activity combined our safety preparations for Brighton Pride with an ongoing operation aimed at disrupting the drug supply into Brighton and Hove.
“It was a fine example of community intelligence combining with enforcement and CID to take a significant number of harmful substances, weapons and individuals off the streets.”
