A drug dealer got the shock of his life when he was arrested the moment he stepped off a plane – with his gang later jailed over a major cocaine network.
Vitlum Hasanaj, 36, was met by police waiting with handcuffs on the tarmac at Stansted Airport.
The arrest marked the downfall of the so-called ‘Vito Line’ – a drug network linked to around 100 cocaine deals.
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Officers swooped as soon as his flight landed on 30 June, bringing his operation crashing down.
The gang had first come under police radar on 2 May, when plain-clothes officers arrested three men and seized four mobile phones.
Analysis of the devices uncovered messages and images linking Hasanaj to the ‘Vito Line’ operation.
Further arrests quickly followed.
On 4 June, associate Gezim Dollapaj was detained with £293 in cash, while phone evidence confirmed his role in the drug deals.
Investigations also exposed Hasanaj’s younger brother, Kreshnik, as reported by Need To Know.
On the same day Vitlum was arrested, Kreshnik was found parked at a fast food restaurant and taken into custody.
Kent Police seized £1,230 in cash from the 27-year-old’s vehicle.
All three Albanian nationals were charged with being concerned in the supply of Class A drugs.
Despite pleading not guilty at Maidstone Crown Court, the trio were convicted after an eight-day trial.
On 20 March, the Hasanaj brothers were each jailed for five years, while Dollapaj received three years and six months behind bars.
Detective Inspector Matt Lynch said: “These two brothers were running a significant criminal enterprise and making a large profit while bringing cocaine into Maidstone.
“They thought they could remain anonymous by using others to deal the drugs but were overconfident and had not accounted for the efforts of our dedicated officers.
“These two men along with their associates brought misery to local families affected by drug abuse and are responsible for the offences committed by their customers.
“Their prison sentences are well deserved and entirely justified.”
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