Crime gang jailed over illegal immigration and cannabis growing
Officers say they've jailed four members of a sophisticated Albanian Organised Crime Group who lived in London, Reading and Oxford.
Last updated 5th Sep 2024
Four men have been jailed for helping 49 migrants enter the country illegally, including five children under 10 years old and for growing cannabis with a street value of nearly £1.6 million.
The investigation by Thames Valley Police’s Drugs and Serious Organised Crime Unit into a sophisticated Albanian Organised Crime Group of four men from London, Oxford and Reading has seen them given significant prison sentences.
Dritan Meta, 43, of Meadow View Road, Kennington, London pleaded guilty to conspiring to do an act to facilitate the commission of a breach of UK immigration law at Reading Crown Court on 15 April this year.
He had earlier pleaded guilty to production of cannabis at the same court on 20 March.
Ilir Kodra, aged 49, of Boundary Brook Road, Oxford, pleaded guilty to the same immigration offence on 20 May.
Refik Skepi, aged 45, of Thornton Road, Reading, pleaded guilty to production of cannabis on 20 March.
Visar Elezaj, aged 39, of Balfour Road, Oxford, was found guilty by a majority verdict of production of cannabis following a five-week trial, which concluded on 18 April.
At a sentencing hearing at Reading Crown Court on Tuesday 3 September, the ringleader of the group, Meta, was sentenced to a total of 11 years’ imprisonment, while Skepi was jailed for six years.
Kodra was jailed for four years and seven months, while Elezaj was jailed for three years and six months.
The investigation by Drugs and Serious Organised Crime Unit into the Oxford-based group commenced in April 2022, where the officers observed and evidenced a large-scale drug supply and cultivation of cannabis nationally.
It was during this investigation that evidence was uncovered surrounding the transportation of migrants from Dunkirk in France to the UK, using small inflatable boats.
The investigation found that Meta and Kodra were heavily involved in organising and facilitating at least three migrants crossing on 16 August 2022.
This offence involved a total of 49 people, five of whom were children under ten-years-old, crossing the English Channel.
Three of the migrants on board the boat were assisted by Kodra and Meta to gain entry to the UK.
The UK coastguard were involved in the rescue of the migrants after the boat began to sink in the Channel, but none of the people on board were injured and were escorted safely to the UK.
The investigation into the drug cultivation found that Meta, Skepi and Elezaj had gained control of a large industrial unit in South Fambridge in Essex, which was subject to a warrant.
During this search, the industrial-sized unit was found to be a highly sophisticated and large-scale cannabis factory, cultivating some 1,000 plants.
The street market value of the drugs was between £1.3m and £1.6m.
Two other addresses in Oxford, in Masons Road and Cranmer Road, were also identified as cannabis factories during the investigation.
These address were linked back to Meta and Elezaj, and the investigation found that the group had multi-kilo cannabis customers across Oxfordshire and the UK.
In total, approximately 200kg of cannabis was located.
Following their arrests, Meta and Kodra were charged on 3 September 2023, while Skepi and Elezaj were charged on 12 September.
Detective Inspector Natalie Hall of the Drugs and Serious Organised Crime Unit said: “Thames Valley Police is absolutely committed to dismantling the most serious organised crime threats.
“This investigation into significant drug cultivation also uncovered as a result of the investigation the facilitation of bringing migrants into the UK illegally via the English Channel.
“It was only through good fortune that the people being illegally brought into the country in this case did not come to harm, thanks to the swift actions of the Coastguard.
“This sentencing justly reflects the seriousness of organised immigration crime.
“The circumstances of this case could have resulted in serious loss of life in the Channel, and our team have also removed a hugely significant amount of cannabis from the supply chain.
“We will continue to target organised criminality, which puts individuals, families and communities at risk of harm.
“I am pleased that this criminal gang will now spend years behind bars for their offending, and I hope that this goes a long way to reassuring our communities of our dedication to tackling serious organised crime.”