A DRUG dealer has been jailed after being stopped by Square Mile cops.
Erjon Bajraktari was sentenced at Inner London Crown Court on 4 August after pleading guilty to possession of a class A drug with intent to supply and possession of false identity documents with intent.
The 23-year-old Albanian national was caught on the evening of 3 December last year after running a red light on Bishopsgate.
The court was told that Bajraktari presented a Lithuanian ID card in the name of Oliver Markus. Given the poor quality of the ID card, the attending officer immediately became suspicious that it was a fake.
Bajraktari was unable to answer simple questions relating to the document, such as which town he was born in and whereabouts in Lithuania it was. Bajraktari also claimed he was driving to Muswell Hill, but the destination programmed into his satnav was for a location a mere 100m away.
Due to his suspicious demeanour, inability to answer questions, constant rearranging of items within the car, and his evasiveness when quizzed about where he was going, the car was searched.
A specially-trained search dog indicated that there may be drugs concealed in the gear stick casing. A grey sock containing 13 wraps of what was later confirmed to be cocaine was discovered inside. Officers also uncovered a mobile phone and cash stashed in an empty crisp packet from the car.
Bajraktari was subsequently arrested on suspicion of possession of a controlled drug with intent to supply and possession of false identity documents with intent.
During his interview with detectives from the City of London Police, Bajraktari claimed he was in the City in order to “see the beautiful bridges.”
At court on Friday, he was sentenced to serve two years in prison for possession of a class A drug, and four months for the possession of false ID documents, to be served consecutively.
The court also ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the drugs seized, as well as the forfeiture of other items found, including around £1,000 in cash, an iPhone, and a satnav.
Detective Constable Joseph Farrell from the City of London Police said:
“We all know the devastating effect that drugs can have on individuals and the wider community.
At the City of London Police we are committed to tackling drug crime and we will do everything in our power to bring such offenders before the courts.
Bajraktari thought that by concealing his drugs they would not be detected, let me be clear, we have a number of tactics at our disposal to detect such activity.”
