In a staggering case that highlights ongoing challenges with illegal immigration and organised crime, an Albanian drug dealer who had already been deported from the UK managed to sneak back into the country aboard a small dinghy to continue his lucrative cocaine operation.
Arban Xhaferi, 39, was first removed from Britain in 2018 after serving a prison sentence for drug offences. Undeterred, the convicted criminal found his way back onto UK soil just two years later via a small boat crossing, seamlessly slipping back into a life of crime.
Brazen Return to Criminal Enterprise
Upon his illegal re-entry, Xhaferi did not lay low. Instead, he immediately returned to peddling Class A drugs on British streets. His operation was ultimately brought down by a dedicated police investigation into county lines drug dealing between London and Portsmouth.
Authorities tracked the drug supply chain back to Xhaferi, who was found to be operating from a hotel in East London. When police raided his room, they discovered him with multiple mobile phones—the essential tools of his trade—along with a quantity of cocaine ready for distribution.
Justice Served, Again
Xhaferi's second chapter of crime in the UK proved short-lived. He appeared at Portsmouth Crown Court where he admitted to charges of being concerned in the supply of cocaine and entering the UK without leave.
Judge William Ashworth delivered a stern sentence of three years and four months in prison, noting the deliberate and persistent nature of Xhaferi's offences. This conviction marks the second time British courts have sentenced this persistent offender for preying on UK communities.
A Growing Pattern of Criminal Re-Entry
This case sheds light on a concerning pattern where deported foreign criminals find ways to illegally re-enter Britain, often to resume the very activities that got them removed in the first place. The use of small boats and dinghies has become an increasingly common method for such individuals to circumvent UK border controls.
The story of Arban Xhaferi serves as a stark reminder of the complex challenges facing UK border security and the persistent threat posed by international drug networks operating within British communities.
