Four drug dealers have been jailed for a total of more than 16 years by a judge at Hove Crown Court.
The four men were prosecuted after police seized more than 1kg of cocaine, with an estimated street value of more than £40,000.
They also had tens of thousands of pounds in cash and one of the men also admitted breaching a previous deportation order.
The men were arrested as a result of an investigation by the South East Organised Crime Unit (SEROCU).
Recorder Tom Nicholson-Pratt jailed Andi Dema, 35, of Church Road, Hove, for five years and six months.
At a previous hearing, Dema pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply cocaine, a class A drug, acquiring or having criminal property and breaching a deportation order.
He was previously deported to Albania in 2016 and 2021.
Recorder Nicholson-Pratt jailed Albert Nedelcu, 23, a Romanian, of no fixed address, for four years and six months.
Nedelcu pleaded guilty to conspiring to supply cocaine, acquiring or having criminal property – about £25,000 cash – and driving without insurance.
Ridison Nega, 25, of Church Road, Hove, was also jailed for four years and six months after pleading guilty to conspiring to supply cocaine and acquiring or having criminal property.
Xhenaro Shehu, 20, also of Church Road, Hove, was jailed for two years and four months after pleading guilty to having cocaine with intent to supply and acquiring or having criminal property.
Police said that Nedelcu drove from London to Hove on Monday 19 June this year. Dema then got into Nedelcu’s car and they drove a short distance before Dema got out.
Officers stopped Dema shortly afterwards and found that he had a 1kg bag of cocaine, with a street value in excess of £40,000.
Nedelcu was stopped by police after leaving Brighton. Officers found a hide in his car which contained just over £25,000 in cash.
A short time later, officers stopped Nega who had been to Dema’s home address. He tried to discard a bag containing cocaine.
And that evening, a search of Shehu’s address found various “deal bags” of cocaine and just under £4,000 in cash.
All four men were charged the next day – on Tuesday 20 June.
Read our report of their arrests here.
Read our report of Dema being jailed three and a half years ago here.
Investigating officer, Detective Constable Justin Marsden, of SEROCU, said: “As a result of their actions, these four men have been sentenced for their part in this conspiracy to supply cocaine.
“Drug supply causes significant harm in our communities and SEROCU is committed to taking those to court that commit drug offences.
“If you become aware of the supply of drugs in your community, please contact your local police force on the non-emergency number 101.”
The sentencing was also reported by the Albanian Daily News.
Hopefully they will all be deported.
Again…
Usual suspects, no doubt illegals too
Of course nobody will be surprised once they see the names. Almost certainly Albanians They destroy communities and come and go as they like Its a farce.. Brighton is very much in the grip of serious criminal gangs This lot are minions and of zero consequence. The big boys are the ones who have bought night clubs and casinos and are washing illegal money 24/7 We need the NCA in Brighton for a few week and whilst they are in the South East they could visit Worthing where there is also a serious problem with Vape shops Barbers and small outlets all covers for crime and the proceeds of crime. I note three barbers where they cut no more tha one persons hair a day but the owners dress in designer clothes and drive cars worth 100s f thousand of pounds at it as well as some very dodgy Eastern Europeans charging around in hi priced top spec german cars We need to get to grips with thi slot. They pose menacing and very serious threat to our communities
So not from around these parts then?
What a mess we are in due to open boarders… human trafficking, drugs, weapons. Now taxpayers have to fund their time in prison 🙄.
How do you get deported and manage to get back into the country? border “control” is a joke in the UK. partly because the left campaigns against it constantly and partly because the government is incompetent. maybe the RNLI or the PCS union brought them. Whatever the reason they shouldn’t be here.