Failed Asylum Seeker Jailed After Cocaine Stash Found in Elaborate Car Door Compartment
A failed asylum seeker who returned to the United Kingdom illegally has been sentenced to prison after police officers discovered a significant quantity of cocaine hidden within an elaborate contraption built into his car door. Etmond Margjoni, a 30-year-old Albanian national, was apprehended by Staffordshire Police following a targeted stop in Basford.
Elaborate Hiding Place Discovered During Police Stop
The incident unfolded in October of last year when officers from the force's major and organised crime team stopped Margjoni on Albert Street in Basford. A subsequent search of the vehicle he was driving revealed multiple deals of cocaine, which had been carefully stashed away in a secret compartment located beneath the window controls on the driver's side door.
The estimated street value of the seized drugs was approximately £1,200. Police described the hiding spot as an "elaborate contraption," but one that was easily discovered during their thorough search of the vehicle.
Return to the UK to Clear Gambling Debts
During court proceedings at Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court, it was revealed that Margjoni had initially entered the UK in 2022. Following a failed asylum application, he returned to Albania. However, he later re-entered the country illegally in September of last year.
Judge Richard McConaghy, presiding over the case, noted that Margjoni claimed to have accrued a gambling debt and stated that pressure had been put upon him to repay it. This pressure, the court heard, was the catalyst for his illegal return and subsequent involvement in drug supply.
Guilty Plea and Subsequent Sentencing
Etmond Margjoni pleaded guilty to possession of cocaine with intent to supply, as well as charges of driving without insurance and driving without a licence. As a result, he was sentenced to two years and four months in prison.
He will be deported back to Albania after serving 40 per cent of his custodial sentence. Judge McConaghy emphasised that, as a foreign national convicted of a serious offence, Margjoni is liable for automatic deportation upon his release.
Police Vow to Continue Disrupting Drug Supply
Following the sentencing, a spokesman for Staffordshire Police issued a statement reinforcing their commitment to tackling drug-related crime in local communities. "Our major and organised crime teams are working proactively every single day across Staffordshire as part of our efforts to disrupt the people and gangs responsible for drug supply," the spokesman said.
The statement concluded with a clear warning to those involved in the illegal drug trade: "Contraptions in car doors are not going to stop us." The case highlights the ongoing efforts by law enforcement to intercept and prosecute individuals involved in the supply of class A drugs within the Midlands region.
