Drug dealer jailed following 14kg cocaine collection in Harold Hill

A man has been jailed after he was caught transporting cocaine in the boot of a minicab.

Mirsad Brahimi, 28, of Carlton Hill, St Johns Wood, was caught by police collecting the 14kg haul from two men near B&Q in Tangent Link, Harold Hill, in March last year.

The drug dealer, who pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and money laundering, was sentenced to 10 years on Friday March 13 at the Old Bailey.

The drugs had a potential street value of more than £2million.

After searching Brahimi’s home, police also found £15,000 in his microwave, stashed there for safe-keeping.

Co-conspirator Bledar Doka, 32, of Picton Place, Marylebone, also stood trial alongside his girlfriend Brunlida Krasniqi, 35.

Doka was found guilty of conspiracy to supply Class A drugs and Krasniqi was found guilty of money laundering and mortgage fraud.

Doka and Brahimi worked together to supply drugs to the Northumbria area, with Doka renting high value premises in London to support their trade.

Doka used false identity documents and paid large cash deposits in order to secure tenancies for ‘safe houses’ for the storage of drugs and cash.

Doka was sentenced to 18 years and Krasniqi was sentenced to three years.

Det Insp Steven Miles said: “Brahimi squirrelled his cash away in locations across the city, including his microwave.

“He obviously thought it was a safe hiding place, but there are no safe havens for criminals like Brahimi, Doka and Krasniqi to store their assets.”

He added: “Rest assured that the Organised Crime Partnership (OCP) will continue to find criminals like this, and their hiding places.”

The OCP brings together officers from the National Crime Agency (NCA) and Metropolitan Police to protect people in London from the harms inflicted by drug dealing.