Three men behind a major cocaine distribution ring in Maidstone have been locked up after CID officers cracked their operation wide open. The gang used a dedicated phone line, dubbed the ‘Vito Line’, to coordinate large-scale drug deals across the town.
‘Vito Line’ Busted: Plainclothes Arrests Seize Cocaine and Phones
On 2 May, plainclothes cops swooped on three men in Brunswick Street, seizing four mobiles and nearly 100 cocaine deals. Phone checks revealed messages and photos linking Vitlum Hasanaj to the ‘Vito Line’. He was directing two other men to supply the third man with drugs.
Undercover Sting Leads to Airport Arrests and Cash Seizure
Two weeks later, officers spotted a known drug user exiting a car on Hastings Road. After stopping the vehicle, driver Gezim Dollapaj was arrested with £293 cash. His phone confirmed he was delivering cocaine for the ‘Vito Line’. Further digging exposed Kreshnik Hasanaj sending deals using a number linked to his brother Vitlum.
On 30 June, police arrested Vitlum Hasanaj as he landed at Stansted Airport. His brother Kreshnik was nabbed nearby, with £1,230 cash seized from their car. Both men’s phones contained evidence of their cocaine empire supplying local dealers.
Guilty Verdict and Prison Sentences for Drug Ring
- Kreshnik Hasanaj, 27, of Enfield
- Vitlum Hasanaj, 36, of Maidstone
- Gezim Dollapaj, 41, of Southwark
All three, Albanian nationals, pleaded not guilty at Maidstone Crown Court but were convicted after an eight-day trial. On 20 March 2026, the Hasanaj brothers were sentenced to five years behind bars, while Dollapaj got three years and six months.
Detective Inspector Matt Lynch said: “These two brothers ran a significant criminal enterprise, profiting from flooding Maidstone with cocaine. They thought they could stay hidden by using others, but they underestimated our officers’ determination.
“They brought misery to families across the town and must now face the consequences. Their prison sentences are fully deserved.”
