A man caught dealing drugs on the streets of Sleaford has been jailed for three and a half years.
Olsi Gjurra was charged with possession with intent to supply cocaine after police searched his address on Toft Lane in May and discovered 127 wraps of the drug.
The 21-year-old told police he was a victim of trafficking and was being forced to sell drugs.
What followed was an extensive investigation by officers at Lincolnshire Police, during which they combed through more than 8,000 messages on Gjurra’s mobile phones over several months.
Albanian interpreters were brought in to review some of the messages, while officers and staff worked with the Home Office as part of their enquiries.
Officers also liaised with multiple forces in a bid to thoroughly investigate Gjurra’s claims and piece together his criminal activity.
The result of this lengthy investigation saw officials judge Gjurra guilty of the charge, and he was jailed for 42 months when he appeared at Lincoln Crown Court on Wednesday, 6 November.
He was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge and forfeit drugs, phones, and cash.
Detective Constable Kirsty Farrar paid tribute to the hard work of those involved in bringing Gjurra to justice.
She said:
“I’d like to express a huge thank you to all those involved in this investigation because, without their hard work and dedication, we would not have achieved a successful conviction.
“This was a complex case which required cooperation from across the country and at a national level. It shows the strength of working together and what we can achieve when we do so.
“This all started with proactive policing from our neighbourhood teams – I’d particularly like to highlight the great work of PC Kennedy in this case – and shows their determination to keep the streets of Lincolnshire safe.”
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