An organised Orpington crime group who ran a 'Deliveroo style' cocaine delivery service in Kent have been jailed for a total of over 25 years.

The leader of the Albanian gang, a father of two, was described as 'the leading light' in the professional drug delivery service, but the group were taken down by a series of raids across Orpington, south east London.

Sales totalling hundreds of thousands of pounds were regularly organised by the gang, who had set up a 24-hour phone line to receive order and drug couriers to local users as part of their major drugs supply network.

Their criminal activity involved a large quantity of cocaine in Tunbridge Wells daily, with investigations uncovering more than 100 customers each day.

According to Kent Police, detectives established that between March and December 2019, the drugs network was being rub by an Albanian organised crime group, headed by Drini Dosku (top left photograph).

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The 35-year-old, a father of two from Orpington, took a 'managerial' role in the Class A 'Deliveroo style' enterprise, the court was told.

Dosku was assisted by Mark Gjeci (top right) and together they used couriers, Elvis Shehu (bottom centre), Eldjort Ajazi (bottom left) and Endrit Tobli (bottom right), to deliver the drugs.

Dosku, Gjeci and Shehu were arrested on 19 December 2019, following simultaneous search warrants at two addresses in Orpington.

Dosku was living at one of the addresses, in Northlands Avenue, where officers recovered £25,000 in cash as well as quantities of cocaine.

Gjeci and Shehu were arrested at a flat where they were staying, in Orpington High Street. More cash was seized as well as evidence including mobile phone top-up receipts and text messages.

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Ajazi, of Northolt Road, Harrow, and Tobli, of Ockham Drive, Orpington, were arrested the following month. Ajazi had previously been stopped in Tunbridge Wells and found to be dealing drugs from his car. DNA evidence on the deal bags provided further evidence of his involvement.

All five were charged with conspiracy to supply cocaine.

At Maidstone Crown Court they pleaded guilty and on Friday 12 February 2021 were sentenced as follows:

Dosku, aged 35 - seven years and two months

Gjeci, aged 24 - seven years and ten months

Shehu, aged 23 - four years and three months

Ajazi, aged 33 - three years and nine months

Tobli, aged 28 - three years and eight months

Leading the investigation was Detective Constable Steve Brown, of the Kent and Essex Serious Crime Directorate, whose work was commended by Judge David Griffith-Jones QC.

DC Brown said: said: ‘It is estimated the gang’s drug dealing would have produced an income of more than £450,000.

"These men have all been brought to justice through a meticulous investigation supported by a series of proactive arrests and robust local policing.

"Six other drugs couriers working for the gang were jailed at previous hearings.

"The sentences imposed should send a strong message to anyone seeking to supply class A drugs in Kent, that they will be identified, arrested and will spend a significant amount of time in jail."