A COVENTRY man has been sentenced to two years and 10 months behind bars for drug dealing and driving offences.
Elsae Driaj, 28 from Cossington Road in Coventry, was found guilty of possession of cocaine with intent to supply, possession of cannabis and nitrous oxide as well as driving whilst disqualified and without insurance.
Alongside his 34 month sentence, Driaj was required to pay a victims’ surcharge of £187 – when convicted at Warwickshire Crown Court on March 18.
Prior to his arrest, Warwickshire Road Policing Unit followed a car, which had a marker for drug supplying, travelling along the A444 towards Nuneaton on January 16.
When the car pulled over in the car park of a sports centre on Greenmoor Road, officers stopped the car from leaving.
They found Driaj in the car alongside another male passenger and a young child.
Driaj lied to officers about his personal details and was currently disqualified from driving at the time of the stop.
He then tried to run away after he was told he would be searched and handcuffed.
Officers found 102 bags of cocaine, £110 cash and two smartphones on Driaj. A small amount of cannabis and £125 cash were also found in the car.
At his home address, more cannabis and multiple large canisters of nitrous oxide were found.
When questioned Driaj said he was told where to find the car with the cocaine in the centre console ready to go.
Driaj’s phone showed that he would receive a list of locations, and someone would tip him off if the police were sighted in some locations.
DC Gordon said: “Driaj is the tip of a criminal network which inevitably surrounds the sale of cocaine – a substance soaked in misery and blood from its production in the tropics to its arrival and distribution in the UK.
“His sentence is reflective of his involvement with this level of criminal activity, and we hope it serves as a warning to anyone involved or seeking involvement with the illicit drug trade.”
