Drug Gang Busted: Nine Men Jailed in Major Kent Cocaine Crackdown
A ruthless Class A drug ring dealing cocaine across Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge has been smashed by police. Nine men are now behind bars after a sharp investigation by Kent and Essex detectives exposed a slick Albanian crime gang orchestrating the supply from London.
How the Operation Worked
- From May to October 2018, the gang used one London-based mobile phone to organise cocaine orders in west Kent.
- Users simply called the phone 24/7, gave their postcode, and paid £40 for a bag of cocaine.
- Dealers living locally in Tunbridge Wells were dispatched to make deliveries, confirming drop-offs by text back to the London phone.
Detectives uncovered Nelson Aliaj as the ringleader, backed by Ervis Dervishi, Izmir Basha, and Alfred Gashi. Other key players topped up the mobile phone credits with vouchers bought in Tunbridge Wells shops.
Crackdown and Arrests Across Kent
- Dervishi caught with 14 deals of cocaine and £600 cash in July in Tonbridge.
- Arsid Mataj nabbed with four deals and £1,200 in Tunbridge Wells.
- Gashi stopped in Southborough with cocaine and £600.
- Hadushaj and Palushi arrested with 60 deals of cocaine and over £8,000 in cash found in their car in Tunbridge Wells.
- Further arrests in Southampton and London followed, with large quantities of cocaine and cash seized.
Sentences Serve Justice
Following guilty pleas and a 27-day trial, hefty jail terms were handed down at Canterbury Crown Court in June 2019:
- Nelson Aliaj (28) – 15 years
- Rigels Hadushaj (20) – 7 years
- Izmir Basha (24) – 7 years
- Ervis Dervishi (21) – 6 years 9 months
- Arlind Palushi (19) – 6 years 6 months
- Marius Kuci (25) – 4 years
- Arsid Mataj (24) – 3 years 6 months
“The sentences send a strong message to anyone looking to supply Class A drugs in Kent,” said the police. “They will be caught, arrested, and face significant jail time.”
This crackdown proves no drug gang is safe from the long arm of the law in Kent.
